11 hours ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

I can see that that would work.....

For me. Not him!

15 hours ago, Catoni said:

    If four months is a holiday.... I would be interested in what you call a two or three week trip ? ?  

A mini break 

7 hours ago, nausea said:

Interesting topic. I've had one or two false starts but something always seems to crop up to keep me here. Yeah, then you wake up one day and suddenly realise it's like 10 years+. Guess it would be difficult readjustimg. Kipling's poem "Mandalay" springs to mind:

 

"An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:
"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else."
No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay..."

 

Love London by the way, spent a good part of my working life in Brighton, which is just down the road. One thing I miss here is the culture, but you can't have everything. I know if I went home that would be it, Thailand would just be a fond memory, just like London is now.

 

Great Poem. I learnt it off by heart.

Sick society made of people with a (most of the time) miserable unhappy life: that's back home.

On 9/16/2018 at 4:31 AM, 55Jay said:

The underlying reason that keeps me on the fence is probably the same for many.  The housing nut. 

 

In my case, high cost $an Diego, Kalifornia. 

 

I miss the Pacific Ocean, that's the big draw.  Waters and beaches of Thailand just don't do it for me, so in a lot of ways, my time here is "cheap" dead time, just waiting for the next trip out.  Although I have been thinking about a nice double wide mobile home somewhere in Florida, and split our time here and there.  Mindful that said mobile home is a gamble during the annual hurricane seasons.

 

Otherwise, all the big ticket items here are bought and paid for, which makes it far too easy to simply stay, be lazy, and drift along on about $2,500 USD a month.   Granted, the hole in my CV just keeps getting bigger, and we ain't getting any younger.

I lived in San Diego(Mission Valley) for years, and with exception of the traffic it’s close to perfection.

 

If I had the money I’d move back there in a heartbeat, but available cash means we make compromises.

 

Most of my adult life I lived in the Bay Area, and as much as I loved it up there, SoCal weather and beaches are awesome

once gets used to having all the free time, sleeping late, staying up late, being able to wander around at any time, it will be tough back home.  I actually found Thailand boring after some two month long visits and over a dozen trips.  I just am not a boozer or smoker, and I didn't find a lot of ex pats to hang with.  Pattaya was a great vacation getaway.  West coast islands and water great.  Thai and foot massages heaven.  I get bored here in the USA even though I now made my million and at 61 can punch out at any time and don't even need to start social security yet.  All I can say is go ha sip ha sip, 50/50.  I miss a good chill in the air and wearing a jacket.  I miss some pretty snow falls.  Hell no I don't want to live in snow and cold though and shovel snow or scrape ice off the car window in the AM!

On 9/16/2018 at 11:51 AM, TunnelRat69 said:

Love your Album Cover - Aqualung - Jethro Tull was an unappreciated Genius in my opinion.

Jethro Tull was one of my favourite bands, but I think Ian Anderson was the unappreciated genius. There was no one in the band whose name was Jethro Tull. 

12 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

A cautionary tale? More like a stupid post.

 

So, he was expecting that everyone bows to him and his glorious return after he mongered in Thailand for many years including his family who, god forbid.... had a job.

 

The female company that he so missed back in his home country will be available in Thailand for him as soon as he opens up his wallet. 

a most stupid comment. what are the options of a man in his eighties than to open his wallet should he desire female company younger then 70? 

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I didn't find a lot of ex pats to hang with. 

Get a bicycle, you can just wander for hours, covering a lot of distance, no need for friends.

My 'granny bike' gets me everywhere, and a convenient basket on the front for bringing my beer home.

On 9/16/2018 at 2:18 PM, LivinLOS said:

Really is nonsense.. Most everything i want is cheaper in the UK. 

 

Two years ago I decided to restart businesses back in the west as I was stagnating in my 40s after almost 2 decades in Thailand.. 

I have set up a home in UK (and NL and partly one in Ireland) and restarted a western life in the spring and summer times. My cost of living in UK is really no more than my cost of living in Thailand while enjoying much higher quality of things (clothes, cars, toys, hobbys, home stuff) and making a multi 100k per annum income, which makes it less than free in terms of my savings / wealth effect. 

Summer months in UK, goodwood festival of speed, autosport events, music events, day at the geegee's (horse races) just so much to do.. Last year I did my paraglider training, I am signing up next year for a springtime batch of sailplane pilot lessons, theres simply a head spinning amount of things I can be active with which are simply impractical or impossible in asia at any price. Supermarkets, clothing, shoes, cars, electronics, etc etc etc are not only cheaper are FAR better quality. 

I love my life in asia also, dirtbiking in the mountains, camping national parks, time at the beach, my dog and 'home' with the wife.. But 4 - 6 months a year is enough before I end up in a cycle of boredom and hangovers. It will probably be ok when I am slowing down and want to watch the garden grow, but the constant expat whining about the deterioration of the west is simply old man bias confirmation to reinforce their choices. 
 

Whilst I agree with you about the quality of goods and services being (for the most part) unquestionably superior back in the UK and the fact the summer months can be glorious if you're in a decent spot in Blighty, (something I miss very much) the cost of living - i.e.: running a vehicle, bills, accommodation and taxes is UNDOUBTEDLY waaaay higher. It's one of the few things that is incomparable these days between Thailand and the UK. Much else, including a lot in the way of food (besides eating out) is becoming much more similar in price. I notice every year that the gulf between the price of many items and services in LOS and the UK is closing. Transport is still a bit of a fob-off in the UK compared to TH as is the choice of nice restaurant meals available on a budget, and entertainment like the cinema is a lot dearer back home.

 

The other big factor is of course the WEATHER and how that limits you in the UK for many months of the year. One of the biggest perks for me about being in TH, is the ease of visiting a scenic spot, be it a beach or a mountain town/retreat or a bungalow on the river in Kanchanaburi, say, at nearly any time of the year for a relatively modest amount (depending on your choice of accomm. and transport etc.) and being safe in the knowledge that you can guarantee the weather will be on your side. TH is still a very beautiful country, as are it's neighbours, and although standards have slipped, the beaches are, on the whole, still fantastic and the domestic holidays you can take in Thailand are superb and more convenient / cheaper than they are in the UK with the added advantage of the weather being clement.

 

The aforementioned high taxes, accommodation and fuel prices (both vehicular and household) are the other big drawback about the UK / the West in general. A globally weak GBP and stable/strong THB means your money doesn't go as far as it used to when converting back and forth and the other issue I have in TH is that although the cost of living is creeping up, (particularly in the cosmopolitan urban centres like BKK, Pattaya etc.) wages have not kept up in most sectors, which can present a problem. You sound like you have a very privileged lifestyle, one that is out of the ordinary, kudos to you for having made the cash you need to enjoy that kind of existence, but bear in mind for many that is not the case and so the difference between what they can afford to have in TH, in terms of a nicer lifestyle re: house/private vehicle and meals out / domestic holidays etc. is almost incomparable to what they could afford to do in the UK in the same position / for the same money.

 

Just a warning.
Violence in the uk is escalating, scenes like this are becoming a daily occurrence !!



You have been warned [emoji51]

1 hour ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Violence in the uk is escalating, scenes like this are becoming a daily occurrence !!

Was there 6 months ago (for two years), didn't see any violence.

Everyone was very polite and helpful in London, but hardly any white folk around.

27 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Was there 6 months ago (for two years), didn't see any violence.

Everyone was very polite and helpful in London, but hardly any white folk around.

Think you might have missed the sarcasm in my post .

 

But seriously, I visit the uk regularly and have done since I left in ‘95 and don’t see the increase in violence that others are quoting .

 The odd fanatic attacking for no apparent reason, but those have always been around and probably always will be !

56 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Think you might have missed the sarcasm in my post .

 

But seriously, I visit the uk regularly and have done since I left in ‘95 and don’t see the increase in violence that others are quoting .

 The odd fanatic attacking for no apparent reason, but those have always been around and probably always will be !

True, however reported crime is way up in London,especially knife stabbing.

 Allthough it’s probably restricted to certain areas. Bkk far safer.

On 9/17/2018 at 1:57 AM, The manic said:

We only pay taxes on income generated from within the UK. If we are working and living abroad we do not pay income tax.

 

And what about if you have earned income generated in thailand?

 

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

And what about if you have earned income generated in thailand?

then you pay income tax in Thailand. better having income generated in Singapore and living in Thailand = no income tax!

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Think you might have missed the sarcasm in my post .

 

But seriously, I visit the uk regularly and have done since I left in ‘95 and don’t see the increase in violence that others are quoting .

 The odd fanatic attacking for no apparent reason, but those have always been around and probably always will be !

Indeed.  The internet/media can have you thinking the whole place is about to self-destruct.

 

I had the same faux feeling during an extended absence from visits back to the US, sat in Thailand on a steady diet of concentrated drama fed to me via a CAT5 internet data cable. 

 

So I was relieved when, during the next 2 month visit back there, I wasn't killed in a terrorist attack before I got my rental car at the airport.   Wasn't taken out in a mass shooting or even a non-mass one, nor did I see anyone carrying a weapon openly the whole time - and that included a tour of the Arizona and Nevada frontiers among armed cowboys and indians, and recreational vehicle driving retirees who live on the edge gambling on slot machines.   I managed to avoid being tazed and choked out, then shot and killed, by a random, rogue police officer, nor was I beaten up by angry minorities for being a white, non-muslim.  People were into politics, some more than others, but nobody was tearing each others' hair out in the real world that I saw.  Just fake people on the internet pulling each others' digital hair out, wondering why they feel unhappy, and have a bleeding ulcer.

Troll post removed.

 

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.
 

On 9/17/2018 at 9:05 PM, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

A cautionary tale? More like a stupid post.

 

So, he was expecting that everyone bows to him and his glorious return after he mongered in Thailand for many years including his family who, god forbid.... had a job.

 

The female company that he so missed back in his home country will be available in Thailand for him as soon as he opens up his wallet. 

Sounds like somebody got out of the wrong side of the bed.

7 hours ago, nontabury said:

True, however reported crime is way up in London,especially knife stabbing.

 Allthough it’s probably restricted to certain areas. Bkk far safer.

Also serious “grooming” gang problems in England involving children.

        Particularly in places like Rotherham, Newcastle, Telford and other cities. 

      Something very wrong there. I hope they get it fixed. 

5 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

And what about if you have earned income generated in thailand?

 

As Thailand is not in the UK, The British Inland Revenue would not be taxing me on my Thai income. AFAIAK TTBOMK

8 minutes ago, The manic said:

As Thailand is not in the UK, The British Inland Revenue would not be taxing me on my Thai income. AFAIAK TTBOMK

Depends if you have or maintain a UK residence "resident for tax purposes" etc.

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Depends if you have or maintain a UK residence "resident for tax purposes" etc.

Indeed and there are issues of how long you stay outside or inside the country. The whole issue of 'resident for tax purposes' has been redifined by the 3 rules system introduced in the last few years. The IR has comprehensive details and informatiom on their website which covers everybody's individual circumstances.  But after years of generating my income outside the UK and not paying tax ,but submittiing and SA form, I no longer have an offshore income just a UK income on which I pay tax even though I live in Thailand.

17 hours ago, Catoni said:

Jethro Tull was one of my favourite bands, but I think Ian Anderson was the unappreciated genius. There was no one in the band whose name was Jethro Tull. 

5 hours ago, 55Jay said:

  Just fake people on the internet pulling each others' digital hair out, wondering why they feel unhappy, and have a bleeding ulcer.

Just like the Thailand-hating expats on this forum. I hardly ever meet people like this in real life. 

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

Just like the Thailand-hating expats on this forum. I hardly ever meet people like this in real life. 

Thank god!

Quote

Is going back home easier said than done?

yes it is! twice a year i'm travelling for a week to Germany mainly to visit family. wife books the flights and packs the suitcases. after three interesting days spent with brother, sister-in-law, nephews, half a dozen beautiful wellbred dogs plus an exhausting  fourth day buying around 60-80kg of food stuff i start counting the hours left till we leave the depressing home country and fly back to our 'real' home Thailand.

On 9/17/2018 at 7:46 PM, nausea said:

Interesting topic. I've had one or two false starts but something always seems to crop up to keep me here. Yeah, then you wake up one day and suddenly realise it's like 10 years+. Guess it would be difficult readjustimg. Kipling's poem "Mandalay" springs to mind:

 

"An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:
"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else."
No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay..."

 

Love London by the way, spent a good part of my working life in Brighton, which is just down the road. One thing I miss here is the culture, but you can't have everything. I know if I went home that would be it, Thailand would just be a fond memory, just like London is now.

 

 

I thought that was a song by the american baritone Laurence Tibbett

 

 

'and the dawn comes up like thunder..'

 

excellent...

 

 

On 9/18/2018 at 6:41 PM, The manic said:

Indeed and there are issues of how long you stay outside or inside the country. The whole issue of 'resident for tax purposes' has been redifined by the 3 rules system introduced in the last few years. The IR has comprehensive details and informatiom on their website which covers everybody's individual circumstances.  But after years of generating my income outside the UK and not paying tax ,but submittiing and SA form, I no longer have an offshore income just a UK income on which I pay tax even though I live in Thailand.

I trust you offset your Personal Allowance against that UK income? If your UK income is covered by the PA, then you can come OUT of SA (Self-Assessment). Even people living in UK are entitled to apply for that. It can, in certain circumstances, make life simpler.

You can't go home again - Thomas Wolfe

 

If for some reason I had to leave Thailand, the last place I would go would be my home country.