On 5/2/2018 at 11:58 AM, JLCrab said:

From the OP --  "I am sure many of you living in Thailand have the same conversation with your peer group."

 

No. No conversations with my peer group.  No peer group. 

C'Mon, you must have a beer group, haven't you? 

Edited May 3, 20188 yr by jenny2017
There's not enough beer in Thailand for the peers.

2 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

C'Mon, you must have a beer group, haven't you? 

No.

The more I think about it, I find no good reasons to any other place, except Portugal a country I know very well. To cold and expensive, but as a europeen I have rights that gives it a huge pluss. Vietnam is tempting, but have no experience at all with Vietnam or Vietnamneeses. And I have Thai girlfriend, I would say better off in Thailand, since I truly believe they are more happy in their home country close or closer to family, their culture, and food, than in any other country. 

 

Pillippines I love, but crap food, smoke, pollution, and a political system and leaders worse than Thailand. Kidnapping is a real treath, small but is there. Worst nightmare is kidnapped by muslims. 

 

I love their Islands, diving, landscape and driving motorbike there, and most people is a bit more educated, and speak english. 

On 02/05/2018 at 10:05 PM, altcar bob said:

Is,but more expensive than Spain  and feel more lonely there too, I know,tried it

 ... and Portugal just like LOS has the good and the not so good places to be at... ie stay away from Lisbon; instead go and enjoy Porto ☺ which is very much like Prague! 

Just think about it, where in the world can you be treated with respect as much as in Thailand? 

 

Some will say you have no respect in Thailand, but I would say it is up to you!

The only drawback is you have no rights what so ever, so you avoid buing property, and you stay out of trubble. I give respect to those who need, suck it up, and the political system you can not change. It is not your duty! 

 

It this point in my time of life, there is no other place. Easy

On ‎02‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 4:08 AM, MadMuhammad said:

No visa required and visa on arrival for the following...

 

 

 

Are you sure ... Canada? Visa on arrival?

9 minutes ago, neeray said:

Are you sure ... Canada? Visa on arrival?

The list missed Vietnam, 14 days on entry for EU citizens.

7 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

C'Mon, you must have a beer group, haven't you? 

No. We have a bier group -- attend lots of funerals. Free food and sometimes we can find a young vivacious Thai girl when she needs some cheering up.

1 hour ago, tifino said:

 ... and Portugal just like LOS has the good and the not so good places to be at... ie stay away from Lisbon; instead go and enjoy Porto ☺ which is very much like Prague! 

what about Cascais....beautiful beachtown just outside Lisbon, but close enough for visit if needed.

what about Cascais....beautiful beachtown just outside Lisbon, but close enough for visit if needed.

I agree Cascais is a lovely place and location - just the issue , not only with Portugal, very difficult to secure a girlfriend , one would actually want,as in most west european countries IMHO


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On 5/3/2018 at 8:29 AM, Lacessit said:

 My visa agent costs me 12,000 baht a year, that's retirement visa extension. multiple re-entry permit, and 90 day reports. Would cost me about 6000 baht if I could be bothered to do it all myself. Have never been extorted by any police in Thailand. It sounds to me like your circumstances are different.

It costs me 1900 baht a year, plus a letter from the bank that costs 200 baht, so 2100 baht all up.

30 minutes ago, giddyup said:

It costs me 1900 baht a year, plus a letter from the bank that costs 200 baht, so 2100 baht all up.

Yeah! Just go ( or just stay) where life is cheap ☺ 

12 hours ago, The manic said:

12k is cheap. The going rate is 25k. Do they put 8000k in bank for you?

I've been dealing with this agent for 9 years now. I switched over from the 800K ( my money ) to income 65K last year, no problem. I understand the going rate if one does not have sufficient funds for bank deposit or income is the agent deposits the 800K for a retiree, then charges 25K - 40K for the service. It calculates out at an annualised interest of 20% - 30%. Nice work if you can get it.

Short answer, no.

18 hours ago, ChidlomDweller said:

For EU nationals Spain is quite attractive IMO.  Barcelona is very expensive now but there are secondary cities I could see myself.  For instance Valencia, Bilboa or Malaga.  The Canary Island would be too insular for me.  

 

In Asia, I've done Singapore and found it a bit boring but after seeing the impunity and political impasse of Thailand I have a newfound appreciation for the place.  In Asia, Tokyo and Seoul are great places for working-age expats like myself.  I teach at a university here and once in a while I get exchange students asking if and how to get a job here, but I point them elsewhere always.  Thailand is a terrible place for a 22-year old to start his career.  I'm moving to Tokyo myself, but if it wasn't for that, I'd be looking at Europe.  

 

Turkey was also attractive (climate, mix of exotic with modern amenities, close to home, interesting vantage point for travel) until recently but now with Erdogan that place is no longer on my list.

 

 

Once I leave Thailand I'm done with Asia.   Agree about Canary Islands,too insular ,just thin strip of populated land around the edges ,nothing inland,but its full of bars bars and more bars.  Not overlooked Benidorm,not to live too close to it,but a good mix of everything to choose from

11 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

C'Mon, you must have a beer group, haven't you? 

Not beer group around here, just some beetroot...will that do?

2 hours ago, tifino said:

Yeah! Just go ( or just stay) where life is cheap ☺ 

All these comments on "cheap" or "not cheap" are a bit meaningless, since the notion wildly differ from one person to another.

Some consider that they spend moderately with a monthly budget of 200,000 baht, while others consider that any cost of living beyond 40,000 baht a month is prohibitive.

 

This is obviously linked to one's income and wealth, but also to one's personality...Thailand is known to harbor notorious cheap charlies (I know quite a few).

 

On top of that, it is possible to live a cheap or an expensive life almost anywhere, depending on one's needs..

 

On average, tropical places are cheaper because the concerned countries are generally less developed, and because it costs much less to go around in T-shirts and slippers than in winter clothing, and to use a fan rather than having to heat one's housing 20 degrees above outside temperature.

 

Thus, instead of focusing on an always debatable cost of life, it seems more productive to look at other issues, such as administrative constraints (visa, taxes...), healhcare and security, stability of the currency and political stability, and how things look like regarding the concerned country's future...

6 hours ago, torrzent said:

what about Cascais....beautiful beachtown just outside Lisbon, but close enough for visit if needed.

Why not bring your own?

There are some countries that can be beat some aspects of Thailand but when you compare the whole package there just isn't a budget country in the world that can beat Thailand - they simply can't tick all the boxes like Thailand can.
 

As for those people who feel Thailand is poorly governed, corrupt, unwelcoming to foreigners etc and suggest Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam or the Philippines as alternatives...well...good luck with that. Haven't been to South America but the fact that  "42 of the world's 50 most violent cities are located in Central or South America"  is hardly inspiring.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Poottrong said:

There are some countries that can be beat some aspects of Thailand but when you compare the whole package there just isn't a budget country in the world that can beat Thailand - they simply can't tick all the boxes like Thailand can.
 

 

What is a "budget" country?

 

As I said above, the notion of "cheap" vary considerably from one person to another.

There are people who live on a shoestring no matter where they are, while others' lifestyle is costly no matter where they live.

 

Living like a local farmer in a village in Isaan is not at all the same as living in a beachfront villa in Phuket, eating only imported Western food and partying every night...even though both persons happen to live in Thailand, they have a very different conception of the cost of life in this country...

4 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

What is a "budget" country?

 

A country for people on a budget.

30 minutes ago, Poottrong said:

There are some countries that can be beat some aspects of Thailand but when you compare the whole package there just isn't a budget country in the world that can beat Thailand - they simply can't tick all the boxes like Thailand can.
Haven't been to South America 

Philippines and Vietnam would do me in a pinch.

My problem is there are too many countries in which I would be happy to live.

 

I haven't tried South America either.

31 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Philippines and Vietnam would do me in a pinch.

My problem is there are too many countries in which I would be happy to live.

 

I haven't tried South America either.

As an Europeen, with access to direct flights from my orign country, it makes it alot better choice and option than Phil, or any other Asian country and SA. I go home 3-4 times a year. 

 

 

51 minutes ago, Poottrong said:

A country for people on a budget.

Aren't we all?

Yet we don't all have the same budget...so a budget country, or country fitting one's budget, has no clear definition.

For many Japanese, for example, the US is a budget country where they can play golf at a fraction of the cost in Japan...

 

20 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Aren't we all?

Yet we don't all have the same budget...so a budget country, or country fitting one's budget, has no clear definition.

For many Japanese, for example, the US is a budget country where they can play golf at a fraction of the cost in Japan...

 

No, not everyone is on a budget. Either way your money goes further here pretty much whatever your budget is. The tighter your budget though the more attractive Thailand becomes.

 

 

For me it would be Sri Lanka. Warm friendly people, cheap to live, great food, good surf, diving, national parks full of wildlife, amazing scenery, cultural attractions. Easy visa on arrival


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5 minutes ago, Dibbler said:

For me it would be Sri Lanka. Warm friendly people, cheap to live, great food, good surf, diving, national parks full of wildlife, amazing scenery, cultural attractions. Easy visa on arrival


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...and the women?

...and the women?

Some are smoking hot....


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8 minutes ago, Dibbler said:

 

Some are smoking hot....


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...but are they available?

...but are they available?

Yes one can meet them anywhere, very approachable


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56 minutes ago, Dibbler said:

For me it would be Sri Lanka. Warm friendly people, cheap to live, great food, good surf, diving, national parks full of wildlife, amazing scenery, cultural attractions. Easy visa on arrival


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Pretend for a moment there are two columns, one with a heading "Thailand" the other with "Sri  Lanka". Down the list there are boxes to be ticked on which one is better in each category. - cost and quality of housing, cost of utilities and level of infrastructure, cost and quality of internet, quality and price of food, level of safety, level of corruption (large and petty), friendliness of locals, ease of visas, cost of transportation (own car and taxis), mating opportunities, scenic beauty, cultural appeal, ease of day to day affairs, cost and quality of healthcare...once that's all totted up, which one has the most ticks and which one would leave you with more money in the pocket for the same quality of life? Genuinely interested.