The Brits heading back to Thailand?

[dabhand]

Despite recent suggestions that British holidaymakers are deserting Thailand this article seems to suggest otherwise.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/02/travel-money-demand-suggests-rise-in-britons-south-east-asia-pound-fall-euro

The Post Office, which claims to be the UK’s biggest travel money provider, said one of the biggest surges in demand had been for the Thai baht. Sales of Thailand’s currency June to August were up 69% on the same period last year.

 

Yes, it is certainly true that the best rates when converting to Baht are to be found when arriving in Thailand, a lot of travellers are keen to have some local currency with them when they arrive. Or could this the impact of the stories indicating a need to have Bt20k to show to immigration when entering the country? 

 

[craigt3365]

I'd hate to think of how many of my friends have left. A bunch.

 

Thailand is no longer a cheap place to live if you want a decent lifestyle. And many expat jobs are gone.

[Chivas]

Its astonishing that in this day and age that anyone obtains even 1 single Baht in advance of arriving......this 20k story is smoke and mirrors anyway but even so cant imagine any Brit arriving with less than £450 hard in their bum bags should by some bizarre event you be asked for

[davethailand]

I won't be arriving with 20k baht so I hope this 20k thing isn't true.

Couple of thousand maybe then I'll hit the atm once there.

:)

[steven100]

10 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I'd hate to think of how many of my friends have left. A bunch.

 

Thailand is no longer a cheap place to live if you want a decent lifestyle. And many expat jobs are gone.

Oh that's a shame although not unexpected.

Many TV farang don't seem to like thailand for the way the country is being managed ....  so hopefully it's some of those.  I'd hate to stay in a place I didn't like and had nothing better to do but whinge and whine all day.

[davethailand]

Not really sure I'd want to live there again, I do know that I wouldn't want to have a bar again.

I'm too young for retirement so I'll stay in the UK for a few more years, maybe one day we'll move back when hopefully the rates have improved.

Haven't really got an issue with the way its being managed although granted I don't live there at the moment.

:)

[craigt3365]

28 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Oh that's a shame although not unexpected.

Many TV farang don't seem to like thailand for the way the country is being managed ....  so hopefully it's some of those.  I'd hate to stay in a place I didn't like and had nothing better to do but whinge and whine all day.

These people had families and homes here, lived here for many years and loved it. One cried when the taxi came to take him to the airport.

 

But, their jobs went away, opportunities lessened here, and for some, the continued increase in schooling costs was a big issue.

 

They all loved living here and hated to leave.

[cyberfarang]

13 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

These people had families and homes here, lived here for many years and loved it. One cried when the taxi came to take him to the airport.

 

But, their jobs went away, opportunities lessened here, and for some, the continued increase in schooling costs was a big issue.

 

They all loved living here and hated to leave.

And yet on reading the majority of treads on TV, most do nothing but moan and complain about the country.

 

Thailand is an ideal retirement destination, it is not the land of opportunity for younger westerners and those with families. Sooner or later they all have to return to their own countries once the bubble bursts for them in Thailand. On average if these people last longer than a couple of years they can consider themselves as done well.

[alant]

with a devaluation of the £ v the ฿ of some 20% you need to change much more to spend the same amount when you get here. Rather simplistic not to factor that in.

[Ricardo]

25 minutes ago, alant said:

with a devaluation of the £ v the ฿ of some 20% you need to change much more to spend the same amount when you get here. Rather simplistic not to factor that in.

 

But who could have factored-it-in, when making the decision to retire & move here, fifteen years ago ?

 

I wouldn't want to own a business which depends on expat-money, lots of belt-tightening going-on IME, 70-75 baht to-the-pound was creamy, 41-42 is not, and that's all money we don't spend in the local-economy anymore.

 

But at least we won't be forced to return to the UK.

[davethailand]

8 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

 

But who could have factored-it-in, when making the decision to retire & move here, fifteen years ago ?

 

I wouldn't want to own a business which depends on expat-money, lots of belt-tightening going-on IME, 70-75 baht to-the-pound was creamy, 41-42 is not, and that's all money we don't spend in the local-economy anymore.

 

But at least we won't be forced to return to the UK.

It certainly upset my old business and the way we lived and I left 3 years ago, I'd be stressing bigtime if having to go through all that again now.

You say about the UK but its been a really nice wake up for me coming back here. 

:)

 

[Ricardo]

4 minutes ago, davethailand said:

It certainly upset my old business and the way we lived and I left 3 years ago, I'd be stressing bigtime if having to go through all that again now.

You say about the UK but its been a really nice wake up for me coming back here. 

:)

 

 

I currently visit 3-4 times a year to care for my elderly-mother, it's OK to visit but I'd hate to have to live/work or start a new business there now, it's all just too different.  I've changed too !

 

Hope you continue to enjoy it there !

Edited September 4, 2017 by Ricardo

[davethailand]

1 minute ago, Ricardo said:

 

I currently visit 3-4 times a year to care for my elderly-mother, it's OK to visit but I'd hate to have to live/work or start a new business there now, it's all just too different.  I've changed too !

 

Hope you continue to enjoy it there !

Must admit the UK is wearing a bit thin but thats mainly down to jobs etc, I know theres alot of other BS going on also but I still think if I can be happy at work i'll stay here for a bit longer.

I could move back to Pattaya at any time really but I know that isn't really the sensible thing to do yet, especially at my age.

:)

[david555]

Probably because Ibiza people does not like them no more m...????

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, davethailand said:

I won't be arriving with 20k baht so I hope this 20k thing isn't true.

Couple of thousand maybe then I'll hit the atm once there.

:)

If you arrive air (from overseas) and don't look like another foreign beggar it's very unlikely that any question about funds arises.

 

And to make it clear: of course an equivalent in your home currency is sufficient.

No need to show Thai Baht cash.

 

[jinners]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

Oh that's a shame although not unexpected.

Many TV farang don't seem to like thailand for the way the country is being managed ....  so hopefully it's some of those.  I'd hate to stay in a place I didn't like and had nothing better to do but whinge and whine all day.

Agree 100%

[jinners]

4 hours ago, davethailand said:

Not really sure I'd want to live there again, I do know that I wouldn't want to have a bar again.

I'm too young for retirement so I'll stay in the UK for a few more years, maybe one day we'll move back when hopefully the rates have improved.

Haven't really got an issue with the way its being managed although granted I don't live there at the moment.

:)

But you come to TV and comment on an article regarding Thailand? Must be boring back in the UK?

[Kadilo]

But you come to TV and comment on an article regarding Thailand? Must be boring back in the UK?

I think his input is relevant as he has lived here and as he says wants to return one day.
There are many that love their life on here despite returning to their home ,that for one reason or another don't want to return and spend endless days running the place down and trying to put others off coming.
They are the ones I truly feel sorry for.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[alant]

3 hours ago, Ricardo said:

 

But who could have factored-it-in, when making the decision to retire & move here, fifteen years ago ?

 

I wouldn't want to own a business which depends on expat-money, lots of belt-tightening going-on IME, 70-75 baht to-the-pound was creamy, 41-42 is not, and that's all money we don't spend in the local-economy anymore.

 

But at least we won't be forced to return to the UK.

agree, a bit of fluctuation maybe but a drop of this scale has made retirement much less comfortable.

[Thaidream]

Coming to Thailand for a  holiday is much different than living in Thailand as a retiree. IMHO those who are below retirement age should never consider moving to Thailand permanently unless they are wealthy and do not need to ever work.  So many people come to Thailand and try and exist as digital nomads or work in jobs that pay  wages way below what they can get in their birth country.  They fail to realize that they are contributing nothing to a pension plan and getting no credit for a government pension.  They are living for today but forgetting about tomorrow.  When tomorrow comes- they will have no means of income and no one is going to hire them. I can't think of a worse situation than being in Thailand with hardly any income; no pension and no ability to obtain any type of assistance.

[stevenl]

16 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I'd hate to think of how many of my friends have left. A bunch.

 

Thailand is no longer a cheap place to live if you want a decent lifestyle. And many expat jobs are gone.

So the OP posts a link to a story indicating the number of tourists might be increasing, and you come back with a post about expat friends of you who have left. Is there any connection with the OP?

[craigt3365]

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

So the OP posts a link to a story indicating the number of tourists might be increasing, and you come back with a post about expat friends of you who have left. Is there any connection with the OP?

Yes. I don't agree with their analysis.

[davethailand]

17 hours ago, jinners said:

But you come to TV and comment on an article regarding Thailand? Must be boring back in the UK?

Not at all bored in the UK.

As for Thailand and this forum, I've been on here for over 13 years, lived in Pattaya for 13 years and I have family, friends and assets still in Thailand.

I'll be there soon also for 5 weeks so I still browse the forums.

:)

Edited September 4, 2017 by davethailand

[davethailand]

21 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

If you arrive air (from overseas) and don't look like another foreign beggar it's very unlikely that any question about funds arises.

 

And to make it clear: of course an equivalent in your home currency is sufficient.

No need to show Thai Baht cash.

 

I'll look quite smart lol.

All my holiday money etc is already sitting in my Thai account hence my not having a lot of cash on arrival.

:)

[MyFriend You]

On 9/4/2017 at 7:30 AM, davethailand said:

I won't be arriving with 20k baht so I hope this 20k thing isn't true.

Couple of thousand maybe then I'll hit the atm once there.

:)

Why push the envelope??  If they ask you to show at last 20K, what are you going to show them, a credit card??.......me & Viet girlfriend came thru 2 weeks ago, they asked her but not me, and we were in the same line, she had $800 USD on her and they stamped her card, then wrote something on it in Thai and $800 USD in english.  Would they have refused her entry, I doubt it, she has credit cards s well, but why take the chance.  As reported previously in other threads, there is no ATM on that side of immigration to draw the money from.

[stevenl]

15 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Yes. I don't agree with their analysis.

Ok, still no connection with your info.

 

But looking forward to your explanation of the increase in Thai Baht sold.

Edited September 5, 2017 by stevenl

[davethailand]

20 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Why push the envelope??  If they ask you to show at last 20K, what are you going to show them, a credit card??.......me & Viet girlfriend came thru 2 weeks ago, they asked her but not me, and we were in the same line, she had $800 USD on her and they stamped her card, then wrote something on it in Thai and $800 USD in english.  Would they have refused her entry, I doubt it, she has credit cards s well, but why take the chance.  As reported previously in other threads, there is no ATM on that side of immigration to draw the money from.

I won't exchange 20000 bht's worth in the UK due to the crap rate, I already have the baht in Thailand' I'll have English on me as well as my Thai bank books.

I normally go through the Thai section as I'll be with the wife so hopefully that should be ok.

:)

[craigt3365]

22 hours ago, stevenl said:

Ok, still no connection with your info.

 

But looking forward to your explanation of the increase in Thai Baht sold.

It's a strange analysis. Maybe more British expats are moving back home and their wives need Baht when they travel back here?

[Chivas]

On 9/4/2017 at 1:30 AM, davethailand said:

I won't be arriving with 20k baht so I hope this 20k thing isn't true.

Couple of thousand maybe then I'll hit the atm once there.

:)

as assuming you're arriving from uk ??  If not doesn't apply but who on earth travels 6000 miles with less than £500 hard in their bum bags or whatever you use. I dont even walk around at home without £500 on me always and never less than 3 large when coming to Thailand

[midas]

On 9/4/2017 at 0:51 PM, Thaidream said:

Coming to Thailand for a  holiday is much different than living in Thailand as a retiree. IMHO those who are below retirement age should never consider moving to Thailand permanently unless they are wealthy and do not need to ever work.  So many people come to Thailand and try and exist as digital nomads or work in jobs that pay  wages way below what they can get in their birth country.  They fail to realize that they are contributing nothing to a pension plan and getting no credit for a government pension.  They are living for today but forgetting about tomorrow.  When tomorrow comes- they will have no means of income and no one is going to hire them. I can't think of a worse situation than being in Thailand with hardly any income; no pension and no ability to obtain any type of assistance.

 

 The pension system today around the world is in a deplorable state and may be there is nothing wrong in young people  coming to Thailand and living for today and forgetting about tomorrow because it's better than giving any of your hard earned money to institutions that are not likely to even be   around when you expect to get your money back

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviergarret/2017/06/09/the-disturbing-trend-that-will-end-in-a-full-fledged-pension-crisis/#1a0693036620