vrsushi

I am trying to sort out my future non-working life. Living costs are not too dificult to arrive at now, but of course the trouble is how to judge the baht rate to the pound in my case. And also the rate of inflation.

Iv'e been assuming that the rate of inflation and exchange rate, in combination, will stay relatively stable in todays terms. Simply put, that 1 beer in a British pub will always buy you more or less 2 large bottles in a Thai bar.

So this being the case, if my assets are inflation linked to the Uk then I will be ok.

The trouble is that this is being challenged at the moment. I started working this out when it was 72 baht to the pound, adjusted my finances to 67, readjusted again to 65 and now wondering if I should use 60......or heaven forbid even lower. I also fear that inflation in Thailand may run hiher than the UK and not be made up for in terms of exchange rate. I.e, that Thailand has and will get more expensive in pound terms.

Of course the danger lies both ways. Waste my good years working to increase my pot when I needn't. (I am a firm believer that life is for today if you can. Your 40's are far better than your 60s for example) I would consider it a failure to die with a large chunk of money left unspent. But then again running dry in my 70s would be pretty miserable too.

So just curious, what do other posters use as their life expectancy, baht and exchange rates?

Me now, 84 (after this its back to blighty I presume) 63bht to the pound, Uk inflation

Phil, I am curious, if you died 12 months after arriving in Thailand (apart from the fact you'd be dead:) would you regret not having retired earlier? I mean, has the last 20 years of presumably saving hard come at a high cost?

To put it another way, if there has been sacrifice in the last 20/30 years (hard saving must mean that you haven't dated too many beautiful women for example, they cost whatever the country) how many years of Thailand would you have to get for you to consider the books balanced so to speak?

I ask because I am 40 and could easily wait another 15 years and be in your type of position. I actually like my job at the mo and have no stress etc but truth be told feel a little bored and that life is to be lived. So I think I'll retire early and clearly with much less than you. But of course I am not 100% sure that I am doing the right thing.

This is a great thread.

OP I think that you may well be going through your mid life crisis and that you have to wake up and smell the coffee.

Is this near the mark?

You've managed to maintain a career of sorts in the music business, but if truth be told what you have earned in the last 10 years wouldn't really qualify it as more than a hobby.

You've lived the life of a man in his 20's (sex and drugs and rock n roll) and have found that you have slowly been pushed out the game as a new younger crowd push their way in.

Your life imploded, no job or family, possibly future (as you had known it)and you dealt with it by way of distractions.

2 years later you have a Thai kid and what you know to be a lovely women.

Trouble is, lets be honest, she was ment to be a distraction NOT a new life. Your world is one of creative, educated people in a western country NOT simple rice farmers from Issan(no matter how lovely they are)

Can you spend the rest of your life with a women that you dont really have anything in common with and be a father to her child? But you feel the child must be your responsibility (who else could it be?)

A. Bring just the kid over...........and what about the mother?

B. Bring them both over.............and ultimately let your life slip into absurdity

C. Go to Thailand.......................and be an English teacher living with rice farmers

D. Send some money over..........accept being another absentee father and hope the money gets used wisely

Hmmm, not good choices.

I do think though that you have to consider A. the child is yours and B. your gf is a nice person who like all of us is just looking for a nice life. I can't help feeling that somebody is bound to be getting hurt here and the only real question is are you mature/man/fool enough(you choose) to make sure that it isn't first the baby, second, the girl and lastly you.

So far we have

health costs as an issue

visa costs

some of my figures are a bit high, but I have ommitted tax and insurance on the motorbike/scooter and general upkeep if I end up buying a place

but so far so good.

So how much is the cheap visa run from chiangmai?

I will tackle health costs on a new thread in the general section

Danny only you know the truth about your situation.

Regards your OP. Whilst you ask about your gf and whether she has been honest with you. From what you have written it seems that it is your girlfriend who could be asking if she is not the one who has been hard done by.

Effectively she has been pumped and dumped. An uneducated, single mother in a third world country. What on earth is her future? Imagine if it were her asking about you on a forum. How good would you look?

I say, if you have had jobs that allowed you to pay off a house in Surrey (300k+?) by 40. Have the skills that allowed you to be employed in Texas and BK (expat packages I presume) and your wife (therefore again by your earnings) has enough dosh to last 10years ( Another 200k+?) then...

trust you Thai girlfriend. If your wife really is the bitch in all this as she appears to be, don't let her spoil your ability to trust others. 100k for a man in your previous position is nothing and there is nothing to stop you regaiining that position by the sounds of it.

Help your girlfriends family, but follow some others advice re doing it wisely.

By the way. I am far from a rich man. But I have some savings because I tried that little thing called planning for the future. You might like to give it a go.

i post what you posted vr. and i get suspended...........what gives................lol.

i think we r supposed to show support no matter how silly situation is.

Oh dear, let me change my post then.

I think that any of those 5 kids (and hopefully one or two others that the OP hasn't mentioned) are very fortunate indeed.

There is no better way for a kid to grow up than on social security and on top of that be able to boast that his father is not even in the country as he is looking after his illegitimate half brother.

OP I don't know how much sterilisation costs in Thailand, but I am being very serious when I say that I will happily pay for you to get your tubes done. If you refuse this offer then I don't think you are deserving of anybody's sympathy at all.

I am only going on what you have posted and not you. There may well be many things that you havent stated about yourself that would put all this in a better light. For example....your UK wife may have had quads.

But re what you have wrote: You have got a women pregnant FIVE times in this over crowded world and you can't support any of them. Wifes with 4 kids dont throw good husbands out and leave themselves destitute. You brought a child into a poor third world family and had no plan on rescuing it.

On reflection it seems that you have screwed up 5 lives and possibly your wifes.

Why don't people think before they have children?

Thanks for the replies so far.

Some good points.

So how much would insurance and tax for a 50cc scooter cost?

Hmmm maintenance on a condo. I have no idea what to budget for that? (on a 2mill bht 70m2 apt)

Dentist. Got good teeth so far. Again what to budget?

Good point re visa run. How much to run up to the border and back?

In an attempt to plan as much as is umanly possible I have literally thought about my spending down to the last beer. So here goes. If anybody would like to point out any miscalculation on my part I'd be ever so grats. All figures are monthly.

2 bedroom house or 1 bedroom apt. 7k or buy for 2m bht

Vegertarian diet with fruit everyday and fresh veg. 6k Cooking at home, very little processed food.

Bills: water 200bht, gas 300bht, electricity 1000bht (fan most of the time, ac in hot season) ADSL 700bht, cable tv(only premier league matters)300bht, tel 200bht = 2700bht......lets say 3k

Scooter. 500bht for gas. 500bht for repairs and eventual replacement. 1k

Health. 500bht. Self insured really. But I almost never get ill.

Things for house 2k, clothes 1k, electronics 1k, books 1k........not into stuff at all. Hard to average out this as a monthly, but this is my best shot. = 5k

Entertainment. I usually drink 3 large beers twice a week. 300bht x2. Bowling daytime 200bht x2. Sports...50bht x4 Hiking 200bht 5/6 beers at home 200bht = 7k

Partner. Dinner out once a week. 1000bht Cinema and cheap meal 600bht = 7k

Travel. Once a year a month traveling with my friend. 20 quid a day backpacking. But minus the costs that I wont be incurring at home, plus a cheap flight or two....lets say 3k a month.

TOTAL 40k a month

Now, by now of course I look a bit anal, but at least........no there is no excuse. But as long as I havent short changed myself anywhere it seems that this 40k will provide me with quite a nice life.

I love reading, nature, exercising, music, chatting with friends. So with the above I really believe that I would have enough of what is needed to live my version at least of the good life.

But have I overlooked anything?

Bloody good guesswork KhunAndy.

I hope the OP doesn't mind sharing his personal info, it is intriging.

Everyone can start afresh I believe. My suggestion, get what you can from the divorce. Hopefully it's a good few K. And will be more when the kids have grown and you get half the house back. Treat that as your pension. If you have a well paid job in the Uk, bring the gf over and look after them. Come to Thailand and become an English teacher if you don't.

Its amsuing how this thread has evolved from suspicion of the girl to suspicion of the poster.

So being of a democratic spirit I'll join in.

The OP loses his house and with it 98% of everything. He presumably has a child to support too. So he does what any self respecting father would do; quit his job, bugger off with money that's not his and bum around Thailand on the cheap. 2 years later and he has increased his offspring count. Back in the UK he lives off his friend's charity.

But whose life couldn't be described as either saintly or foolhardy?

OP, hope you learn to use a condom in the future mate.

I can't believe the general tone of most posts.

The OP's post show that his girlfriend came up trumps for him time and time again. The family are looking after HIS daughter. The girlfriend has shown much commitment.

And posters here act like 100kbht is a large sum???????

OP tot up all the hours she spent looking after you while you were incapacitated. Add in the hours of child care. Multiply it by ANY AMOUNT that you choose as a reasonable hourly wage EVEN in Thailand. 100kbht wouldn't cover it I'd bet.

AND this women has done nothing other than love you all that time too.

TO ALL THE GUYS out there who don't seem to trust anyone; why do you bother getting to know people, including Thai women, at all? What's the point of any social relationship if you have it in the back of your head that that person is only trying to rob you?

Nope, 1,000 a week. That's assuming the hotel has customers. No people no work and the women just sit and wait. Two years ago I tod the Boss it was crazy work and she should quit. She stopped working for 3 days but got boored so went bank. A new manager has changed the rules and now it's just slave labour. I grant you that there are a few women who are supplementing their income by providing services over and above that required but there are more who don't.

It's not a good set up for any of them. The Boss is now teaching massage privately and she's making twice as much for half the work, and no sitting around.

Cheers

You don't mind your wife putting her hands all over another guy? In a place where other women are providing "extras"?

I thought I was the non jealous, modern man type, but compared to you I'm back in the stone ages.

To live of little money takes creativtity, some mental rescources and a good attitude.

I lived for about 7 years on rent paid and 4000bht a week and was happy IN THE UK. Half the time was on the dole half the time at uni. I had no debt, no family support and to tell thr truth still was as happy as I am today. In some ways more so.

True you can't have kids on it.

16k UK costs must be no more than 8k here. So if no housing is involved, yes I do rekon I could live off it. And be happy.

I stayed in a 500bht a night Bangkrapi hotel last year in BK and was surprised that they were advertising for staff, reception, security that type of thing and paying 12k a month.

Couldnt believe that the average is only 7k if thats what a security guard can make.

I have been to Thailand but only the obvious tourist spots so I was wondering if I could find my idea of comfort elsewhere. So here goes my list.

A nice 2 bedroom house to rent for 7k or less a month

This is really important. The house must be in a lively area. Doesn't need to be in a big city but I would like to walk out of my door and feel that life is going on. I'm no saddo perv, but I love a bit of eye candy in the neighbourhood. No ageing mooban or suburbs for young families for me.

I love power walking and jogging so need pavements or a good place to run/walk near my house. Light traffic a real plus.

Hmmm this is almost two separate posts as thats one initself, but on top of that.

A city with a good chance of hanging out/working(teaching) with a few decent guys preferably near my age (40)

A town with a few bars with live music and hopefully a beer for around 100bht (640 ml)

A bowling alley and cinema would be a plus.

Near a national park/ great hiking a real bonus.

A couple of art gallerys too much to ask?

I have a total budget for my monthly living expenses of 37k to 40k so Phuket/ Bkk is probably out.

So there you go. A bit much to go through I know. And maybe a bit too anal in it's detail, but I just want a simple life in a relatively lively ish place. Really need some good friends, a few beers and a bit of activity. I have the 40k in outside income though I may teach to be a part of/contribute to a community.

Anybody got any suggestions?

Just been asked by a student what the phonetic cpelling of these made up words would be. He says it is for some report.

Could anybody help as I am stumped as I never studied the phonetic alphabet.

deeb

terol

willer

convit

wittel

gickle

jeel

adpost

forline

lomic

couwell

Many thanks for anyone who does.

Coming from the UK, I often find it depressing how old people, those who are supposed to be wise and experienced, still seem to become bitter, sinicle and even angry about some incredibly trivial matters. Surely by now, old man, you should have learned that whingeing and moaning will get you nowhere.

This post is refreshing.

I think a positive attitude is great in life. I have one myself.

I wonder though why so many old men are so bloody miserable. If being aged is so wonderful why is it that on the train I catch to my university half of the train is full of happy, chatting students who smile non stop while the other half are middle aged and up commuters who look literally as if life is a constant session of pain and humilation?

Life is wonderful, but people do seem to enjoy it less as they get older. If the OP is right then why is this so?

50% of 50 year olds have piles so I am told. Maybe this could be it.

I am 40 in a few weeks. I work in Japan, but get about 6 months of the year off in the holidays. (The joy of working in a university) The idea is to buy a place next year and spend 5 months a year in it for now and in a few years move over for good. I am pretty much resigned to having to buy an apartment as I can't buy land of course.

The hope is that CM will then be my home for ever. I am not looking to make money on my apartment as such, but as I am only 40 the concern will be that I end up in a run down cess pit when I am 70 and without the means to move anywhere else.

So am a foolish to even be considering buying a place that I would plan on calling home for 40 or even 45 years?

The thing is I really would like a place to call home. Japan is so expensive that buying here is out of the question.

If I have to save up enough money for a second purchase say 20 years down the line then I have to keep my nose to the wheel for a few extra years which depressed me enough to write this post.

I also think that y buying now I would have the fun of the place right away but also a hedge against ever rising property prices and the bht in Thailand as the country develops.

What do you think?

The trouble is that nearly everything in the OP's post one can feel when they are 40, 30 or even 20.

As I approach 40 in the next couple of months there is one truth that I find hard to deny. Life is (all things being equal) far better when you are young.

Bobby Fisher, Muhammed Ali, Alex Higgins, Peter Cook, Maradona, the names go on and on and on. I would exchange 10 years of my 70's for 5 years of being in the 30's

Being 60 is far better than being dead, but the Op is almost trying to kid herself that it is better than being 30.

I know that there are some pretty great national parks around there. I have a few questions.

1. How much chance is there of actually seeing any wildlife? Animal or birdlife would do fine.

2. Are there any nice hiking opportunities that don't actually entail going into a national park and so avoid a 400bht fee everytime I feel like a day in the woods.

3. Roughly how many different places are there that I could feasably ride to from CM on a scooter for a day out?

4. Ditto but a bit further afield for a overnight/ 2 night stay?

5. Anybody seen any hornbills around? I can't help but love these odd looking buggers.

Many thanks

..... RENT UPDATE.........

4,500 baht a month and 9,000 baht deposit. (12 month contract)

4,700 baht a month and 9,400 baht deposit. (6 month contract)

7,500 baht a month and 12,000 baht deposit ( 1 month contract, Condition: Free 2M unlimited high speed internet + Free cable TV + local gym member (there are only 5 machines open from 7 am till 10 pm) and fully furnish. (Electricity is 4.5 baht a unit and water is 150 baht a month)

The best landlord on Earth Cheers,Pin

here is a quick link for all the photos.

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff276/thaipumpkin/

More photos.....