For Chiang Mai Expats: How do you keep yourselves occupied in Chiang Mai?

[PerkinsCuthbert]

4 hours ago, Telly said:

Here,  you can have mine as well 

Thanks gentlemen, but I'm strictly a pay-for-play man in my golden years.

[cyberfarang]

9 hours ago, altcar bob said:

Do a lot of wanking

Are you Australian?

[cyberfarang]

7 hours ago, NancyL said:

I've thought the same about my own life -- what would I be doing any differently if I lived in the U.S?  Well, for starters I probably wouldn't be in a city with some many other English-speaking retirees from all over the globe with a wide range of special clubs devoted to hobbies and special interests.  Sure, I could live in some place like "The Villages" in Florida, but I'd miss the stimulating of interacting with people from different countries.

 

Also, I'd miss the high standard of service that is still found in many Thai business, especially the private hospitals, bank, nicer restaurants, etc.  

 

Also, the fun of occasional 2 or 3 day side trips to other places in Thailand or the ability to get on direct flights from CM and be in places like Korea, Singapore, and soon Taiwan in a few hours.  

Just out of interest, what`s the average and majority age groups of the Chiang Mai Expats Club members,  and what are the percentage ratios of male and female members?

 

The reason I`m asking is that the majority of western expats I meet in Chiang Mai, seem to be male and over 60.

 

 

Edited May 8, 2018 by cyberfarang

[MaeJoMTB]

1 hour ago, cyberfarang said:

Just out of interest, what`s the average and majority age groups of the Chiang Mai Expats Club members,  and what are the percentage ratios of male and female members?

 

The reason I`m asking is that the majority of western expats I meet in Chiang Mai, seem to be male and over 60.

All the foreigners I meet in CM are in their 20s and 30s, equal numbers of males/females.

It's probably where you hang out and what you do that determines the age of the foreigners you meet.

[worgeordie]

After 30 years living in Chiang Mai,its starting to get a bit boring,

not really,I have never been bored in my life,and can never understand

when people say they are.what would bore me to death is sitting on

a bar stool, looking into the bottom of a glass. 

 

regards worgeordie

[simoh1490]

23 hours ago, Pat in Pattaya said:

Living the dream eh. Mind out you go there.

I'm nearly 70, the dream I have is just fine for me.

 

...and it's mind "how" you go there!

[sanemax]

28 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

All the foreigners I meet in CM are in their 20s and 30s, equal numbers of males/females.

It's probably where you hang out and what you do that determines the age of the foreigners you meet.

 

10 hours ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Lived here 10 years, not done any of that, I avoid people (excluding direct family).

Hiking, cycling and MTBing does for all my out of home activities and no need for human interaction.

So, which is it ?

[Pat in Pattaya]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

I'm nearly 70, the dream I have is just fine for me.

 

...and it's mind "how" you go there!

Good luck to ya!

[MaeJoMTB]

9 hours ago, sanemax said:

So, which is it ?

I go cycling, hiking, kayaking, sometimes these are group events.

Inevitably I will meet people, but I don't have to talk to them, or socialize with them.

[elgenon]

Has anyone been to Faces Restaurant, 33 soi 2 Phra Pok Klau Rd ? Good experience?

[elgenon]

On 5/8/2018 at 3:02 AM, cyberfarang said:

Judging by the posts so far, it does seem that Chiang Mai has become a haven for elderly expats. It also seems that once they begin settling down in Chiang Mai, their activities don’t vary much to what they would be doing in their own countries, just a different environment.

 

 

Is it that only the elderly expats can get visas that enable them to stay?

[Lizard2010]

26 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Is it that only the elderly expats can get visas that enable them to stay?

You are spot on with your post

That is unless they can access your Pension Plan

Some people have different financial situations

 

[MaeJoMTB]

28 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Is it that only the elderly expats can get visas that enable them to stay?

No, marriage to a local gets you a easy 1 year VISA (valid for 15 months stay) with no financial evidence required.

[NancyL]

36 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

No, marriage to a local gets you a easy 1 year VISA (valid for 15 months stay) with no financial evidence required.

This is a multi-entry one-year O visa with a maximum permission to stay of 90 days, which means that the visa holder has to leave Thailand every 90 days and re-enter to obtain another 90 day permission-to-stay stamp.  Then every 15 months or so, they have to go to a Thai Embassy/Consulate in another country and apply for a new visa.  Not everyone wants to do this much travelling or keep track of so many deadlines.  And it becomes difficult once someone becomes older, frail and infirm.  However, for a younger person with a taste for travel, yes this is one strategy for a younger person or a person of limited means to remain in Thailand long term.

[MaeJoMTB]

10 minutes ago, NancyL said:

This is a multi-entry one-year O visa with a maximum permission to stay of 90 days, which means that the visa holder has to leave Thailand every 90 days and re-enter to obtain another 90 day permission-to-stay stamp.  Then every 15 months or so, they have to go to a Thai Embassy/Consulate in another country and apply for a new visa.  Not everyone wants to do this much travelling or keep track of so many deadlines.  And it becomes difficult once someone becomes older, frail and infirm.  However, for a younger person with a taste for travel, yes this is one strategy for a younger person or a person of limited means to remain in Thailand long term.

I've not found it any hardship to go away every 90 days, last year I've visited China ($60x2 direct AirAsia Changsa), Philippines ($120x2 Manila AirAsia via Kuala Lumpur), Vietnam ($75x2 direct VietJet Saigon), and also a VISA jump To Mae Sai ($15 green line). My foreign journeys are usually for 10 days and never cost more than 20KBht all in.

 

I guess at 62 I'm still a younger person with a taste for travel.

I would have missed all these countries without the 90 day limit, and I've enjoyed them all.

(Saigon was surprisingly the best and cheapest of my 10 day trips, I would never have predicted that)

Edited May 9, 2018 by MaeJoMTB

[cyberfarang]

46 minutes ago, NancyL said:

This is a multi-entry one-year O visa with a maximum permission to stay of 90 days, which means that the visa holder has to leave Thailand every 90 days and re-enter to obtain another 90 day permission-to-stay stamp.  Then every 15 months or so, they have to go to a Thai Embassy/Consulate in another country and apply for a new visa.  Not everyone wants to do this much travelling or keep track of so many deadlines.  And it becomes difficult once someone becomes older, frail and infirm.  However, for a younger person with a taste for travel, yes this is one strategy for a younger person or a person of limited means to remain in Thailand long term.

You haven`t responded to my post - 65.

 

I am trying to conduct my own survey (just for knowledge) of the majority expat age groups for long stayers in Chiang Mai. Is the Chiang Mai Expats Club really an over 60s club, not by design, but according to the majority of it`s memberships?

 

Going way-back, the majority of expats in Chiang Mai I used to know where an equal mixture of under 55s and over 60s, I`m talking about long stayers, not just those that were here staying less then a year or tourists.

 

Maybe this has changed because it`s become more difficult to do visas runs or with the decline of social attractions that has been more geared for the elderly.

 

Another question, would you recommend under 55s to settle in Chiang Mai? And why? Would they find it boring here? 

[bkk6060]

 

 

I complained in another thread about living outside the city can get boring find myself going into town everyday.

 

There is enough to do in CM like others have said, what would you be doing in your home country?  Many restaurants, golf, good gyms,  massage places, malls with plenty of shops and modern movies, motorbike rides and scenery, the zoo.

What else I don't know it is no better or worse then anyplace else?

To add, the last time I was in town they had a few events at the convention center. A car show and food festival fun to walk around.

 

Living outside town can be a bit of a bore if one likes to stay active with more modern amenities.  But probably when I am older it may suit me better.

 

There are plenty of bars to drink in CM.

 

If one likes to stay sexually active like me it is disappointing I think.  I am lazy about it like to walk Soi 6 or the many massage places in Pattaya and easy pickings.  I know this area is more difficult in CM.  Loh Kroh is mostly overpriced jack shacks not my thing.  The dating sites have some ladies but always seems like a PIA to meet them.  If CM had a bigger scene like it did many years ago, I would spend more time there.

 

But overall the more I think about it, CM is a pretty good place.

Much more going on and more fun then say Khon Kean or Korat or Chiang Rai in my opinion.

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by bkk6060

[NancyL]

57 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

You haven`t responded to my post - 65.

 

I am trying to conduct my own survey (just for knowledge) of the majority expat age groups for long stayers in Chiang Mai. Is the Chiang Mai Expats Club really an over 60s club, not by design, but according to the majority of it`s memberships?

 

Going way-back, the majority of expats in Chiang Mai I used to know where an equal mixture of under 55s and over 60s, I`m talking about long stayers, not just those that were here staying less then a year or tourists.

 

Maybe this has changed because it`s become more difficult to do visas runs or with the decline of social attractions that has been more geared for the elderly.

 

Another question, would you recommend under 55s to settle in Chiang Mai? And why? Would they find it boring here? 

OK, had to look up the results of a member survey that CEC did back in March 2016.  At that time, the average age of the members was about 67 and was 70% male, 30% female.  It definitely is a club for retired people, with very few members under the age of 50.  

 

There definitely are younger long-stayers in Chiang Mai, but they don't gravitate toward the activities of CEC.  

 

Sure, this is a fine place for people under age 55 to settle.  I was 54 when we retired here, but I fit into all the social activities of the CEC subgroups and they were happy to have a slightly younger, more energetic person to take on the work.

 

There is an interesting group of younger expats here where the man works overseas in the region and the wife lives here with the kids going to an international school.  Every so often one of those ladies comes to an Expat Ladies Lunch as a newcomer, but usually they lose interest when they find we're older ladies and they develop a social life that revolves around their kids activities with other moms.  Their visas are tied to their kids going to school here.

[evenstevens]

14 minutes ago, NancyL said:

OK, had to look up the results of a member survey that CEC did back in March 2016.  At that time, the average age of the members was about 67 and was 70% male, 30% female.  It definitely is a club for retired people, with very few members under the age of 50.  

 

There definitely are younger long-stayers in Chiang Mai, but they don't gravitate toward the activities of CEC.  

 

 

c/mai expats club is renowned in a lovely way for being called .  gods waiting room  .your figures and remarks confirmed this    but.in saying the above its all down to ones choosing on how one selects his retirement life .all different cattle is my call 1

[NancyL]

20 minutes ago, evenstevens said:

c/mai expats club is renowned in a lovely way for being called .  gods waiting room  .your figures and remarks confirmed this    but.in saying the above its all down to ones choosing on how one selects his retirement life .all different cattle is my call 1

A 50-year-old man born on July 1, 1960 currently has a life expectancy of 81, according to the SSA's new life expectancy calculator, released last week. Once he makes it to age 67 his live expectancy grows to 84.4 years and if he hits 70 the average life expectancy is 85.3 years.

 

From:  https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/planning-to-retire/2010/07/22/predicting-your-own-life-expectancy

 

So, I'd hardly call CEC "God's Waiting Room" when the average 67 year old man is going to be "waiting" over 17 years, on average to die.  Healthy people age 67 know this and come to Chiang Mai to live a full, active life and CEC offers many activities to make this possible.

[MaeJoMTB]

10 minutes ago, NancyL said:

So, I'd hardly call CEC "God's Waiting Room" when the average 67 year old man is going to be "waiting" over 17 years, on average to die.  Healthy people age 67 know this and come to Chiang Mai to live a full, active life and CEC offers many activities to make this possible.

And yet ....... I don't know any foreign man in CM that made it past 70. They seem to start dying at age 50.

So far my pals have .......

Cancer, 2x m/c accident, drunk falling in moat,  liver failure, 2x falling in shower, balcony fall with ladyboy in room, deep vein thrombosis.  

Maybe it's just the company I keep.

Edited May 9, 2018 by MaeJoMTB

[bkk6060]

48 minutes ago, NancyL said:

A 50-year-old man born on July 1, 1960 currently has a life expectancy of 81, according to the SSA's new life expectancy calculator, released last week. Once he makes it to age 67 his live expectancy grows to 84.4 years and if he hits 70 the average life expectancy is 85.3 years.

 

From:  https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/planning-to-retire/2010/07/22/predicting-your-own-life-expectancy

 

So, I'd hardly call CEC "God's Waiting Room" when the average 67 year old man is going to be "waiting" over 17 years, on average to die.  Healthy people age 67 know this and come to Chiang Mai to live a full, active life and CEC offers many activities to make this possible.

That is not for Thailand where the average male life expectancy is 71.9.

That may be for Thais I guess but many ex-pats can apply to this also I think.

 

Unfortunately, most ex-pats in their 60's that I know are very fat, drinking, etc. and not living healthy lives. Nice guys just not care.

Plus, I was very surprised a week ago I asked 8 of my friends if they had medical insurance here and all said No.

Seems not smart.

 

So, the "Gods waiting room" sure seems like it could apply.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

40 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

And yet ....... I don't know any foreign man in CM that made it past 70. They seem to start dying at age 50.

So far my pals have .......

Cancer, 2x m/c accident, drunk falling in moat,  liver failure, 2x falling in shower, balcony fall with ladyboy in room, deep vein thrombosis.  

Maybe it's just the company I keep.

It seems your pals are either alcoholics, accident prone, go with dangerous hookers, or just darn unlucky life expectancy wise. Could be that anyone who pals up with you become jinxed. I have loads of expat friends here in their 70s and 80s. Most have lived here for years and survived to tell the tale.

 

I thank Nancy and appreciate her giving those membership statistics. My questions were not a ploy to set her up to ridicule the CEC, so anyone that does, please reframe from doing so. Having lived in CM for a number of years, I am trying to do a personal survey for myself, just out of interest, how expats spend their time in CM, their average age groups, how the city caters for them and what`s on offer. For example; one man`s meat, is another man`s poison. What maybe fun and adventure for some, maybe boring for others. I am at a sort of CM crossroads, something's I enjoy, other things I find boring, simply because of the lack of options available for the young at heart or the younger expats, if there are many still left in Chiang Mai.

[bkk6060]

15 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

 I am at a sort of CM crossroads, something's I enjoy, other things I find boring, simply because of the lack of options available for the young at heart or the younger expats, if there are many still left in Chiang Mai.

Just curious what options you are referring too?

What other cities in Thailand have better "young at heart" options and what are they?

[observer90210]

How to keep busy ? Guess the same as many, in different places around.....good food, good booze, s*ex patronizing and mongering, a dip in the pool and runing back and fro to immigration !!

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, MaeJoMTB said:

And yet ....... I don't know any foreign man in CM that made it past 70. They seem to start dying at age 50.

So far my pals have .......

Cancer, 2x m/c accident, drunk falling in moat,  liver failure, 2x falling in shower, balcony fall with ladyboy in room, deep vein thrombosis.  

Maybe it's just the company I keep.

It's the company you keep.  My husband is past age 70 and I know many expats past that age. 

 

In fact, most of the folks we assist with Lanna Care Net are past age 70.  It's almost as if there are two cohorts among expats here.  Those who lead a dissipated lifestyle die of the factors you mention in their 60s.  If someone takes care of themselves, i.e. no smoking, drinking in moderation, exercise, not riding motorcycles and keeping company with responsible, engaging people, then they live well into their 70s and an entirely different set of problems develop for expats after age 75.  Dementia and broken hips from falls on the nasty footpaths and stupid little steps they put in all the homes here are the two most common problems among the over age 75 set.  

 

Once someone gets to be over age 75, problems can escalate quickly, even if someone is fit and in good health.  A broken hip can drive someone into irreversible dementia because of "ICU psychosis".  What appears to be a case of flu that is ignored turns out to be pneumonia and next thing you know major organs are shutting down, etc.   

[MaeJoMTB]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Dementia and broken hips from falls on the nasty footpaths and stupid little steps they put in all the homes here are the two most common problems among the over age 75 set.  

Fingers crossed I make it to the dementia and broken hips then.

[cyberfarang]

11 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Just curious what options you are referring too?

What other cities in Thailand have better "young at heart" options and what are they?

 

 

46 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

How to keep busy ? Guess the same as many, in different places around.....good food, good booze, s*ex patronizing and mongering, a dip in the pool and runing back and fro to immigration !!

I think this is my answer to bkk6060 question to me.

 

Only I do on occasions drink socially, never been a heavy drinker, not into sex patronizing on a regular basis, but would be nice to have an option of some letting my hair down a bit with a naughty quality night out once in a while, definitely some options of late night socialising, bars and drinking establishments open past midnight and maybe a wider selection of real western style restaurants, other then those imitation Farlang type restaurants owned and run by Thais. Obviously the old farts among us will say; this is not wanted in Chiang Mai because they prefer a more laid back lifestyle and believe Chiang Mai should revolve with what is best suited for them, their physical limitations and the types of people they prefer to maybe associate with in Chiang Mai.

 

I would also like to see more recreational parks in Chiang Mai, where people can gather, meet, picnic and chat.

 

I`m not talking about appeasing sexpats and alcoholics, I`m referring to livening the city up a bit and catering more for those not just into yoga, coffee shops, cycling and trekking, temples and the odd game of bridge, who still have a sparkle left in them and enjoy something more on the adventurous side once in a while.

 

 

 

 

[MaeJoMTB]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Just curious what options you are referring too?

What other cities in Thailand have better "young at heart" options and what are they?

I quite liked Hua Hin when I visited a couple of months back.

Mainly walking on the beach in the morning, drinking beer on the Pier in the afternoon, then bars and girls in the evenings.

[cyberfarang]

3 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I quite liked Hua Hin when I visited a couple of months back.

Mainly walking on the beach in the morning, drinking beer on the Pier in the afternoon, then bars and girls in the evenings.

That`s exactly what I do. I am at most times quite content and happy in Chiang Mai, then after a while I get the call of the wild, similar to Mr Spock`s Amok time, and then I wander off to pastures anew, sometimes even abroad for a week or two. Come back until I start getting bored again and repeat the process.