Leaving Thailand after 13 Years..

[marko kok prong]

22 hours ago, mogandave said:

 

By paying attention?

I know what the price is.

I know what I give them.

I know what I get back.

Not that complicated really.

As far as contractors fulfilling their end of an agreement, they seem to be easy to work with and do the best they can to satisfy their end of the agreement.

How do you get cheated?

 

MY Wife!

[madmen]

Apparently Bali is now beating Thailand. In accepting Expats 
 
more & more Aussues tetiring to Bali
 
Cheap nice Bali

Might as well move to Australia. It's basically an Australian state. Thousands of ozzies roaming around shi* faced on cheap ethanol booze

[cleverman]

1 hour ago, madmen said:

On 15 December 2018 at 4:26 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Apparently Bali is now beating Thailand. In accepting Expats 
 
more & more Aussues tetiring to Bali
 
Cheap nice Bali

Might as well move to Australia. It's basically an Australian state. Thousands of ozzies roaming around shi* faced on cheap ethanol booze

What rubbish. I spend a lot of time there and thousands of Ozzies getting shit faced ain't so. You and I obviously move  in completely different socio economic circles. 

[mogandave]

What rubbish. I spend a lot of time there and thousands of Ozzies getting shit faced ain't so. You and I obviously move  in completely different socio economic circles. 

Yes, the Ozzies he hangs with have money to get loaded...

[cleverman]

5 hours ago, mogandave said:

 

Yes, the Ozzies he hangs with have money to get loaded...

 

Doubt it, he knocks me because I attend wine and cheese evenings. Envy. 

[madmen]

Doubt it, he knocks me because I attend wine and cheese evenings. Envy. 

I knocked you because you pretend to be the ambassadors best buddy and then posted 10 pages of misinformation..

 

I could link it along with the beating you took on TV but won't embarrass you..

 

Wine n cheese? Bahahaha more like Leo and toasted sandwich at 7/11 [emoji23]

 

[LomSak27]

On 12/14/2018 at 5:02 AM, Puchaiyank said:

Went back to the states a few years ago... Settled into a routine of processed foods... Expensive housing and utilities... And oh yes,  the obese women everywhere...

I know of no yank that would state it like that. You post sounds stereotypical 'brit/aussie', but no you are american  uh huh right . So in 70 years you have not learned to cook food, can't speak thai, whinging over obese US women, but you like living over here.  

 

On 12/14/2018 at 5:02 AM, Puchaiyank said:

Back to Thailand last Feb... Left the tourist area for more rural life in Issan...rent large modern house $270 month...utilities are a fraction of the cost in US...fresh meats and veggies...feel free and safe to walk or use public transportation...people are friendly enough... 

Have a lady friend who keeps herself fit,

"Fresh meats and veggies" ... you were unable to find those in a supermarket, let alone visit a farmers market when living in the US?!  Public transport in Isaan huh. Are we talking songtaoews, tuk tuks, or samlors here?!  At least you gave me a chuckle, waiting for my team to tee it up for the 4 AM game thai time.  

 

You weren't by any chance the night janitor at JUSMAG's ? I must have missed you in the 80's as I would turn up for their 10 B a beer Friday nights. 

Aloha

[cleverman]

7 hours ago, madmen said:

I knocked you because you pretend to be the ambassadors best buddy and then posted 10 pages of misinformation..

 

I could link it along with the beating you took on TV but won't embarrass you..

 

Wine n cheese? Bahahaha more like Leo and toasted sandwich at 7/11

 

I invited you to give me just one example of misinformation I was accused of posting. You have not been able to so stop lying. 

[GinBoy2]

On 12/14/2018 at 11:18 PM, Puchaiyank said:

Not looking for things to criticize here...genuinely curious...what kinds of things did you find overwhelming? 

 

My pet-peeve is the culture of money transaction corruption...purchase large or small leaves one vulnerable to being scammed. 

 

I have lived in Thailand off and on since the 1960s...no tourist...live a comfortable lifestyle with large western style house, car and do not pinch pennies...at a fraction of the costs of similar living in US.  

 

The biggest difficulity I find between the US and Thailand is the language... 

The corruption got on my nerves, having to grease palms for the smallest things. Not being able to rely on anyone to actually do what they they say they will do. Time, lack of attention to it. Electricity going off at the first clap of thunder. Thai's ability to lie through their teeth, coups, went through enough of those. Censorship, and just a myriad of irritants just got to me.

 

Language, that actually made things worse I think. I speak and read fluent Thai, and can speak Lao. Actually being able to understand everything around me in many ways made things worse. Possibly not speaking the language and being able to live in a bubble helps in some perverse way.

 

Now I'm very happy with visiting, spending a few months a year, but knowing that there was a airplane waiting to take me home at the end of it. It's back to feeling like a vacation, which is a situation I'm very happy with

 

 

[Denim]

On 12/15/2018 at 5:51 PM, billd766 said:

Me neither.

Me neither.

 

We must be doing something wrong.

[Puchaiyank]

44 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

The corruption got on my nerves, having to grease palms for the smallest things. Not being able to rely on anyone to actually do what they they say they will do. Time, lack of attention to it. Electricity going off at the first clap of thunder. Thai's ability to lie through their teeth, coups, went through enough of those. Censorship, and just a myriad of irritants just got to me.

 

Language, that actually made things worse I think. I speak and read fluent Thai, and can speak Lao. Actually being able to understand everything around me in many ways made things worse. Possibly not speaking the language and being able to live in a bubble helps in some perverse way.

 

Now I'm very happy with visiting, spending a few months a year, but knowing that there was a airplane waiting to take me home at the end of it. It's back to feeling like a vacation, which is a situation I'm very happy with

 

 

Thank you for reply...I full understand...went through the same corruption fatigue a few years back...re-charged my batteries and came back as a tourist to the Issan area...a different world and to my liking...settled in quite comfortably now...maintain residence in US as a backup plan...

Happy for you...finding a balance between both countries...have a great Holiday Season...

[Nyezhov]

8 hours ago, cleverman said:

Doubt it, he knocks me because I attend wine and cheese evenings. Envy. 

Me to I like a fine Fussy Poosey 1989 and a hunk of Limburger on a Ritz cracker.

[mogandave]

The corruption got on my nerves, having to grease palms for the smallest things. Not being able to rely on anyone to actually do what they they say they will do. Time, lack of attention to it. Electricity going off at the first clap of thunder. Thai's ability to lie through their teeth, coups, went through enough of those. Censorship, and just a myriad of irritants just got to me.
 
Language, that actually made things worse I think. I speak and read fluent Thai, and can speak Lao. Actually being able to understand everything around me in many ways made things worse. Possibly not speaking the language and being able to live in a bubble helps in some perverse way.
 
Now I'm very happy with visiting, spending a few months a year, but knowing that there was a airplane waiting to take me home at the end of it. It's back to feeling like a vacation, which is a situation I'm very happy with
 
 

I decided early on to just not pay any grease. After a while the demand for it stopped and they just got on with their jobs.

[GinBoy2]

23 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Thank you for reply...I full understand...went through the same corruption fatigue a few years back...re-charged my batteries and came back as a tourist to the Issan area...a different world and to my liking...settled in quite comfortably now...maintain residence in US as a backup plan...

Happy for you...finding a balance between both countries...have a great Holiday Season...

I'd always recommend everyone has a bolt hole, since living in Thailand always has risk, as does anywhere that you are not a citizen, with let's face it little to no rights

Also things change, you never know how you will feel next year or in the next 10 years. What i wanted 10 years ago, isn't what I want today, but maybe in 10 years time I might want something different.

 

I always question the idea of burning all your bridges for 'today's' want

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

The corruption got on my nerves, having to grease palms for the smallest things. Not being able to rely on anyone to actually do what they they say they will do. Time, lack of attention to it. Electricity going off at the first clap of thunder. Thai's ability to lie through their teeth, coups, went through enough of those. Censorship, and just a myriad of irritants just got to me.

 

Language, that actually made things worse I think. I speak and read fluent Thai, and can speak Lao. Actually being able to understand everything around me in many ways made things worse. Possibly not speaking the language and being able to live in a bubble helps in some perverse way.

 

Now I'm very happy with visiting, spending a few months a year, but knowing that there was a airplane waiting to take me home at the end of it. It's back to feeling like a vacation, which is a situation I'm very happy with

Not speaking or understanding the language is like being deaf and dumb.  Now you have to ask yourself how could anyone trust a person who suggests blinding and cutting out your tongue?  I've been to immigration and government offices a few times during the last year and not once was I asked to grease anyone's palm, electricity gone out or has anything really bothered me.  I have to wonder if there are other factors at work when one person gets so persecuted and another not at all. 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, Denim said:

Me neither.

 

We must be doing something wrong.

Or we are right and everybody else is wrong. ????

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Benroon said:

The problem with retaining a house in the UK is, assuming you rent it out, tax forms, local council issues, questions, tenant problems from 5000 miles away etc ie just not worth it. Of course if you're not renting it then the UK winter will have a good go at destroying it.

Rent it to your local council for 5/10 years.

They will return it to you fully repaired at the end of the time.

 

Most local councils are looking to rent houses for this scheme.

[Tweedle dee]

On 7/20/2018 at 8:47 PM, Lacessit said:

I've been living here for 9 years. A couple of the people I know have died here. My problem with going back to Australia is everything is so expensive, particularly housing and water/power. Against that, my medical costs are almost free there, and the doctors don't think they are gods.

I can live well here in Thailand. In Australia, my diet would probably be toast and bowl noodles.

What ever you do , DO NOT get sick ! an ozzy mate of mine just under 4 days in a mediocre hospital Surin..60.000 bht   he then flew back to Melbourne with a lot of help from a sister and passed away 2 months later for FREE ! thus his will went a lot further for his next of kin. makes a bowl of noodles sound yummy. PS he was a member here.

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, Tweedle dee said:

What ever you do , DO NOT get sick ! an ozzy mate of mine just under 4 days in a mediocre hospital Surin..60.000 bht   he then flew back to Melbourne with a lot of help from a sister and passed away 2 months later for FREE ! thus his will went a lot further for his next of kin. makes a bowl of noodles sound yummy. PS he was a member here.

I got sick in America.  Took 30 minutes to admit me to the hospital.  3 hours and thousands of dollars later they told me I was allergic to oregano (you can't make this stuff up).   Public hospital in Thailand.  Tried to kill me but failed.  Rescued by an young surgeon.  (I've had hookers for a night that cost more).  Private hospital Thailand saved my life and cost about the same as a 22 year old go go dancer for 4 months. 

[totally thaied up]

1 hour ago, Tweedle dee said:

What ever you do , DO NOT get sick ! an ozzy mate of mine just under 4 days in a mediocre hospital Surin..60.000 bht   he then flew back to Melbourne with a lot of help from a sister and passed away 2 months later for FREE ! thus his will went a lot further for his next of kin. makes a bowl of noodles sound yummy. PS he was a member here.

I just paid for insurance for another year. Last year, 260K paid out from being hospitalized twice.

 

Nothing wrong with the hospitals here as long as you are fully insured. I paid my insurance from a young age and it has cost me very little. They cannot refuse me on just about anything now as I have been with them for long enough and my medical record for priors is clear.

[mogandave]

My insurance (BCBS) paid out 623k this year...

Nice when you need it.

[GinBoy2]

5 hours ago, Benroon said:

A valid strategy but unless you're a gambling addict - how is it burning your bridges ? My strategy was to sell my house in the UK, hand that cash over to my investment gurus, or a savings account, and if I want to return to the UK simply use that cash to buy another and pocket the difference. If the markets haven't been kind just sit it out. Especially as the UK housing market is facing a bleak immediate future (and I'm an optimist!!)

 

The problem with retaining a house in the UK is, assuming you rent it out, tax forms, local council issues, questions, tenant problems from 5000 miles away etc ie just not worth it. Of course if you're not renting it then the UK winter will have a good go at destroying it.

I think that's a pretty valid strategy.

 

When I talk about burning bridges, I'm more thinking of the guys that sell up everything, move all their assets to Thailand build some mansion in Nakon Backofbeyond, then if things go south haven't the resources back home to allow them to repatriate.

 

What you suggest seems far from that scenario, and indeed if you don't want the hassle of managing real estate from overseas is a pretty good plan

[JAFO]

11 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

The corruption got on my nerves, having to grease palms for the smallest things. Not being able to rely on anyone to actually do what they they say they will do. Time, lack of attention to it. Electricity going off at the first clap of thunder. Thai's ability to lie through their teeth, coups, went through enough of those. Censorship, and just a myriad of irritants just got to me.

 

Language, that actually made things worse I think. I speak and read fluent Thai, and can speak Lao. Actually being able to understand everything around me in many ways made things worse. Possibly not speaking the language and being able to live in a bubble helps in some perverse way.

 

Now I'm very happy with visiting, spending a few months a year, but knowing that there was a airplane waiting to take me home at the end of it. It's back to feeling like a vacation, which is a situation I'm very happy with

 

 

I have always enjoyed reading posts of folks who have had almost the exact opposite experience as I have had. I have never been scammed, never paid off anybody or greased any palms. Thai politics never bothers me because I simply do not pay attention to any of it or in the US. I have been here through the 2005 Thaskin coup and all the others after and it is what it is. I speak basic Thai but understand it better and that's all one really needs here IMHO. I did not move here to immerse myself, I came here to enjoy life and relax and I do just that.  I will say ( and have said before) location is everything and ones attitude can have a huge impact on living here.  

 

I do the opposite of you in that I make Thailand my home base and the US becomes my holiday vacation every other year or so as I prefer to see other places as well.  

 

But I do fully understand that if you are having a terrible experience here or anywhere for that matter there is no reason to endure it.  It's best to leave.

 

 

[sirineou]

6 hours ago, Benroon said:

A valid strategy but unless you're a gambling addict - how is it burning your bridges ? My strategy was to sell my house in the UK, hand that cash over to my investment gurus, or a savings account, and if I want to return to the UK simply use that cash to buy another and pocket the difference. If the markets haven't been kind just sit it out. Especially as the UK housing market is facing a bleak immediate future (and I'm an optimist!!)

 

The problem with retaining a house in the UK is, assuming you rent it out, tax forms, local council issues, questions, tenant problems from 5000 miles away etc ie just not worth it. Of course if you're not renting it then the UK winter will have a good go at destroying it.

A good strategy ,^^^^

I had a thread exploring the options between keeping the house back home and renting it a few months ago, or selling it and investing the proceeds in a relatively secure investment vehicle.

I totally agree with Ginboy about not burning bridges, chances are that at some point we might have to return home.

  I will be retiring in a few months and will be staying in Thailand at the house me and my Thai wife build last year full time. We have being coming to Thailand for a few months a year for the past 10 years, but vacationing any place for a few months can be wonderful, living there full time can be a different story

   so I think I will keep the house for a couple of years while deciding if Thailand is for me full time.

 Keeping a house back home (USA, Florida)and renting it long term provides a few problems. 

  First I will lose my primary residence property tax exemption and pay taxes under the investment tax scheme (more expensive and bureaucratic)

   . Second, management and maintenance costs.

    Third liquidity, I am older than my wife and chances are that I will pass away before her, and I am concerned with her ability to sell the house then, without being taken advantage of.

  The concern I have with selling the house and investing the funds is, the market going south losing my investment and being trapped in Thailand.

 I am still on the fence, leaning towards selling  and investing, but still thinking about it. 

 I am interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.

 

    

[mogandave]

A good strategy ,^^^^
I had a thread exploring the options between keeping the house back home and renting it a few months ago, or selling it and investing the proceeds in a relatively secure investment vehicle.
I totally agree with Ginboy about not burning bridges, chances are that at some point we might have to return home.
  I will be retiring in a few months and will be staying in Thailand at the house me and my Thai wife build last year full time. We have being coming to Thailand for a few months a year for the past 10 years, but vacationing any place for a few months can be wonderful, living there full time can be a different story
   so I think I will keep the house for a couple of years while deciding if Thailand is for me full time.
 Keeping a house back home (USA, Florida)and renting it long term provides a few problems. 
  First I will lose my primary residence property tax exemption and pay taxes under the investment tax scheme (more expensive and bureaucratic)
   . Second, management and maintenance costs.
    Third liquidity, I am older than my wife and chances are that I will pass away before her, and I am concerned with her ability to sell the house then, without being taken advantage of.
  The concern I have with selling the house and investing the funds is, the market going south losing my investment and being trapped in Thailand.
 I am still on the fence, leaning towards selling  and investing, but still thinking about it. 
 I am interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.
 
    

I would sell and invest in a few low cost index funds.

[GinBoy2]

52 minutes ago, sirineou said:

A good strategy ,^^^^

I had a thread exploring the options between keeping the house back home and renting it a few months ago, or selling it and investing the proceeds in a relatively secure investment vehicle.

I totally agree with Ginboy about not burning bridges, chances are that at some point we might have to return home.

  I will be retiring in a few months and will be staying in Thailand at the house me and my Thai wife build last year full time. We have being coming to Thailand for a few months a year for the past 10 years, but vacationing any place for a few months can be wonderful, living there full time can be a different story

   so I think I will keep the house for a couple of years while deciding if Thailand is for me full time.

 Keeping a house back home (USA, Florida)and renting it long term provides a few problems. 

  First I will lose my primary residence property tax exemption and pay taxes under the investment tax scheme (more expensive and bureaucratic)

   . Second, management and maintenance costs.

    Third liquidity, I am older than my wife and chances are that I will pass away before her, and I am concerned with her ability to sell the house then, without being taken advantage of.

  The concern I have with selling the house and investing the funds is, the market going south losing my investment and being trapped in Thailand.

 I am still on the fence, leaning towards selling  and investing, but still thinking about it. 

 I am interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.

 

    

Well, thats a bit of a huge question to answer. 

 

I'm assuming that you are mortgage free by this point, so it's all free income. 

 

Investments, well the trade off there is the safer they are, the lower the yield on your money. But that's the trade off everyone over about 50 has to make, since you're running  out of runway to recover should the market take a dive.

 

Now only you would know what the rental market is like in your part of FL, and what rental yield you would expect to get. given whatever the overheads (property tax, management fees) would be in your location

Property taxes you pay retrospectively, ie the tax you pay in 2019 is based on 2018 occupancy, so at least for one year you keep the owner occupied discount.

Property management, no way around that. That being said. When I lived in Thailand full time, I owned rental units in Bangkok and in the US. There were times that I wished there were similar management companies in Thailand, to deal with finding and vetting tenants, and dealing with all the petty nonsense that goes along with having tenants.

I willingly pay my management fees just to have a hassle free check in the mail every month.

 

So if it were me, I'd do the rental thing for the first year.

See how that works out, and it gives you time to fully investigate other investment tools, should rentals not be for you, or if indeed, Thailand full time doesn't work out for you.

Hedge your bets, and good luck

[mogandave]

Get your wife a taxpayer ID number and file joint.

[GinBoy2]

6 minutes ago, mogandave said:

Get your wife a taxpayer ID number and file joint.
 

Thats a good point. Isn't the standard married exemption $24K this year, which is not to be sneezed at!

[mogandave]

Thats a good point. Isn't the standard married exemption $24K this year, which is not to be sneezed at!

And if you have any earned income at all, you can fully fund your wife’s Roth with post tax funds that will grow tax free....

[mogandave]

It is pretty nice doing taxes when you’ve been single your whole like the get a wife & kid....