vrsushi

I have one day in Bangkok to do a major clothes shop. Actually, before this I have to decide whether it's even a good idea or not. Te baht being so strong.

I am after jeans, t-shirts, work trousers and shirts, shoes and suits. I am not looking for cheap, but rather fashionable and good value. Is Thailand good for this?

So if you wanted to go to one or two places and buy good mid range clothes where would you go?

And what kind of price can I expect to pay? For example a fashionable pair of jeans costs?

I am trying to decide if I should do a shop or not. (current exchange rates dictating it I guess)

And importantly how much for a good suit?

Wow that Punna apartment looks great but at BK prices. 4.5m for 100m2!

Yes, I thought that the Nim road area could be the place when I was in CM. Also, don't you get the feeling that when the web site is only in English that there is a certain "white man" tax involved?

In the UK every city has a residential area where middle class young professionals live. That type of place where there's lots of cafes, shops, bars and eye candy walking around. 6 oclock sees many well dressed paople coming home from work. There is a "buzz" to the area.

I live in Japan where I live in such an area too. Believe me, you don't want to live in the suburbs in Japan. Deserted during the day and night, and almost everybody on the street is either a mother with kids or over 70.

Im thinking of buying a holiday apartment/something for my retirement in ChiangMai, so where should I be looking to live? I don't think I'll have a car and would feel very isolated living in some quite mooban outide the city. I'd like to be able to walk to some cafes where I can meet a friend for a coffee, game of chess and watch the world go by. I'd also like to go to a lively bar occaisionly. Enjoy live music, bowling, social groups and generally get out and about. Oh and near a supermarket/local markets would be needed too.

When I talk about lively, I mean places where working Thais hang out not really tourists.

Of course I know I am not gong to find a Notting hill/Manhatten of CM, but is there anywhere that comes anywhere near?

OP it's Mrs not Misses. Talking about "the misses" I thought you were a footballer or something. Still, fair play to you, your making a lot more money than me by the sounds of it.

Ive never owned a car. Never wanted to to tell the truth. But as I think about settling in Thailand it feels that it may be a nice idea. But I really have no idea about the costs. Could someone please explain what I should budget for.

Cost of a new economical car. Nothing flash but nothing that's a social handicap. Or is it better to buy used? How used?

Taxes, MOT, insurance? Again Ive no idea. I'm 40, and had my licence for 20 years if it makes any difference.

Running costs? How much should I budget for a year in repairs? How many km does a car do for 1000bht of petrol?

Lastly, how long does a car last in this heat? Actually this is a serious question.

Basically I'd like to be able to guess how much the total cost of a car would be year on year so I can decide if I can afford one. If I have left out any other costs please enlighten me.

Many thanks.

I'm married to a wealthy (ish) women. Her family own a rather nice resort/restaurant. We currently live outside Thailand and I have no idea what visa options are open to me if we live in Thailand.

I would prefer to aviod visa runs. I may teach but would prefer to avoid teaching full time.

Can I get a yearly visa?

If I were made a joint owner of the resort would that secure me a visa? My wife plans to build an apartment building on land that her parents are giving her. Again could that be done in such a way that gave me a visa?

I'm 40 with about 30k bht a month in share dividends to my name.

Is there anyway that we can live in Thailand and I can teach part time and stay legally?

I'm married to a wealthy (ish) women. Her family own a rather nice resort/restaurant. We currently live outside Thailand and I have no idea what visa options are open to me if we live in Thailand.

I would prefer to aviod visa runs. I may teach but would prefer to avoid teaching full time.

Can I get a yearly visa?

If I were made a joint owner of the business would that secure me a visa? My wife plans to build an apartment building on land that her parents are giving her. Again could that be done in such a way that gave me a visa?

I'm 40 with about 30k bht a month in share dividends to my name.

Is there anyway that we can live in Thailand and I can teach part time and stay legally?

He was a small business owner who had a good life for 30 years but then he got hit. The business went bankrupt. He lost a lot in a divorce and he spent 10's of thousands on a hospital bill for his son who eventually died in America without medical insurance.

Dumball....the 5k is his safety net. Not much but it would get hime back to the UK. He is not a cheater either. He wouldn't have any place in the UK and his pension which goes into his Nationwide bank account would be his only tie to the country.

Heh the old saying holds true, never argue with a fool, as onlooker's can't tell who is who.

Laugh as you will, I'll join you in laughing on my way to the Bank...

Cause I can sell ice to Eskimos and sick buffaloes to bar girls.

Nothing in this world moves without sales, nothing, believe that.

Drink up Sheep.....

Cheers

Your reply is exactly why you are seen as worse than most whores. You think it's bragworthy that you can trick an eskimo into buying ice, but I've got news for you; most people don't.

In fact it would be interesting if you could explain why you questioned another posters ethics. Why is tricking another human out of money better than "swallowing another man's load" as you put it for an honest 500bht?

Ah thansk for bringing up the lack of inflation adjustment for pensions. But my friend is willing to assume that the UK gov wont find him out and besides every 5 years he would go back to the UK and stay a week or two with his friend which would legally put him back onto the current pension anyways.

Yes 450 is tight......but then surely its even tighter in the UK? Even given the rent he will have to pay in Thailand.

Why do Americans talk about the world as if everybody is American? When speaking on an international forum to say "I live in Fort Collins, CO" just betrays that far from being global citizens you think rather parochially. Who outside the US would know where the hel_l CO is? I bet you refer to the $ as if there is only one as well.

I've got and American friend who has gained New Zealand citizenship and changed his money into NZ$ from US$ because of the same reasons you state about Thailand.

Please remember, this is not a "can you be happy on 25kbht post. This is a where should a retiree on a UK govpension live?

My friend was planning to come and live in Thailand but I think he has been a bit spooked by the recent exchange rate movements. So what do the forum members think.

He retires this year at 65. He has no assets whatsoever, but no debt. No family either. He will collect a gov pension of roughly 450GBP a month. He is a likeable guy, a non smoker, a moderate drinker. He exercises daily and apart from a bad back has no history of illness. He never wastes money. He would need to live in a city as he does have a need for some kind of intellectual stimulation that I don't think he could find in some Thai village. He would like to have a girlfriend though no desire to pay for play.

If he lives in the UK the gov would pay his rent and of course there is the free hospitals and bus pass. In Thailand rent would come out of the 450GBP

But currently 450GBP is only 25000bht.

He does have a 5000GBP bailout fund that he would use as a medical fund in Thailand with the last 1000 being a plane back to the UK.

So do you think he should live in the UK or come and live in Thailand?

I agree. I think that many people have been sold a lie that they can save their way to happiness. I think one of the reasons that the "you have to have a $million to live in Thailand" brigade are so vocal in their beliefs is that the truth is that they are no happier now than when they had no money but to admit to it would be a devasting blow to their self worth so a bit like the most aggresive homophobs they go on the attack instead.

Find a job you love, live within your means, save 15% of your salary and you'll be just fine. Even if that job is a 30k a month teaching job in Thailand the same rules applies. If you have a job you love the truth is that there is no need to retire. I think that the retire early crowd find it hard to accept this because they gave so many years of their own life to an existence that caused more pain than pleasure.

Mind you, saving a few k before you become a teacher in Thailand is still a very, very sensible thing to do.

Where is this track located and when do they typically have races? I see some horse activity on the way to Mae Rim, but don't know exactly where to look or where to go..

I agree with the posters above. How anyone could read the OP then ask, "when do they race?" and seems to be interested in going is beyond me.

Winnie tell me you wouldn't go............please.

Not all grads are intelligent and not all labourers are thick, but I'm just trying to get a feel.

Just read this today, http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D92KLN780.htm

Can you still live in Thailand after reading this?

Half of all food produced on farms near 70% of all cities in the developing world don't have access to water so they irrigate thier crops with untreated human waste.

Surely this includes Thailnd.

I really wonder if I can now live in a developing country. I mean, drop a lettuce in your, no, another man's toilet, wash it off then serve it up. Could you eat it?

I'm looking forward to the posters who will say, "hey, don't worry about it, I've never been sick" but really? You don't mind?

I love living in Asia, but not at the expense of eating a daily diet of Somchai shi.t.

Any farmers out there like to enlighten us as to how widespread this is in Thailand.

If I put a steak in front of a car exhaust for a second then started the car. You saw the fumes go through it; would you eat it?

If you wouldn't why would you eat something that has been hanging around a busy road for hours?

If you saw me come out of the toilet without washing my hands and I then picked up an apple would you eat it?

So how many street sellers wash their hands do you think?

If you knew I used the same oil 100 times would you eat my fries?

How often do you think the oil gets used by a treet seller selling a meal for 30 bht?

Why is it that so many foreigners leave their hygeine levels behind when they visit a third world country? Are you lot happy if your girlfriend were to do any of the above when cooking at home?

I get the feeling I am getting to be a bit of a light weight in the drinking department. Honestly 3 large bottles and I'm done.

How about the esteemed readers of this site. What do you consume, in Large bottles (small bottles x2) on a typical night out?

Work, home, friends, family? Does your wife come out on top? If you had to make the choice would you choose her above all? Obviously for most it is rarely tested but for some it is. For example would you give up your job to keep your wife?

For those that say no, what is more important?

Is electricity measured the same in all countries? I ask cuz I'm in Japan and this month it's as hot as Thailand, I'd be curious at how my bill here compares to there.

And isn't it strange that the two most popular votes are 1000 to 1500 and then 4500+

But Pierrot don't your friends buy you a drink back? So how many drinks do yu get through in a night?

Change your friends if you ask me, leeches aren't good for the health.

WHAT ABOUT ME!

I WAS CALLED A JERK FOR POINTING OUT THIS GUYS IS A JERK. THE INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD

Yea, but you spoke bs when you thought the guy was for real, not when he has proved himself to be a troll, or a selfish bstard.

Grandpa still alive??

Go for the throat, shag her daughter.

I don't understand the general caution on here. The guy is in a long term relationship and we are only talking about a month's wages at even the crappiest job in the UK.

Give it a go. Literally, what have you got to lose?

People on this forum often talk as if the Thais were a bunch of cheating bastards, but they are not. Well, not any more so than any other people. If you trust this girl with your heart then the hard part is already done.

More info is needed on whether you SHOULD retire now, but as that is not what you are asking about then all really anybody need say is to explain the visa situation to you.

Don't listen to the moaners on here. They don't trust the locals, don't trust the girls thay have relationships with and don't even trust each other. And yet, for some reason they stay!