Are Expat's Opinions of Thailand Influenced by how much money they have?

[Kadilo]

9 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Florida, adventure highlight is an 80 year old bag boy carrying your groceries out to the car.

Post of the year and explains this and many previous threads. 

[SheungWan]

9 hours ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

Its weird. People choose to move to a third world country and live in what is essentially the countries trailer-park that they they don't even own and feel so smitten with themselves that they've gotten the greatest deal on the planet. 

Not sure why you feel the need to paint things so over-the-top black and white. The standard of living for foreigners living in Thailand is one long sliding scale and dependent on personal finance, choice and whim. Of course you can set up a one-example to then knock it down, but why is this so important to you? Is it just to justify your own decisions? Why even bother?

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Post of the year and explains this and many previous threads. 

Last time I was in Florida I went diving in the freshwater springs, visited NASA space centre, Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, walking on Sanibel Island, and Airboating through alligators in the swamps. I thought it was pretty exciting.

If I were American, I'd probably be living in Florida.

[mogandave]

Post of the year and explains this and many previous threads. 

I lived in Florida for 10 years and while I can’t speak to the shuffleboard set shopping at Publix, plenty of good times to be had with the young gals shopping at Winn-Dixie...

[UncleTouchyFingers]

7 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

35 IMHO is too young to settle in Thailand unless one has an expat career probably in finance in BKK. Otherwise career-wise probably out of touch compared to living major metropolitan cities. I know several IT guys have gone for the digital nomad existence in Thailand as a lifestyle choice, but up to them. 

 

Yep if someone is here on an expat employment package, with all perks that provides then its an easy choice. Same standard of living as home. I also agree that 35 is too young to settle here, although ive been "settled" here since my early 20's more or less. 

 

I have a suspicion that the "digital nomad" existence will get extremely old for those guys once the glamor of moving to Thailand wears off, and you have to deal with the day to day life. 

 

[sanemax]

3 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

I lived in Florida for 10 years and while I can’t speak to the shuffleboard set shopping at Publix, plenty of good times to be had with the young gals shopping at Winn-Dixie...

 

Do you have sex everytime that you go shopping as well ?

[smutcakes]

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I live 10Km from the town centre of Chiang Mai.

House was 1.8Mbht, 200k deposit, 25 years of repayments.

4x 7-11 and Tesco Lotus within 500m. Superstores 5Km away.

 

Nobody forced you to live in Nakon Nowhere, or buy a house for cash.

House prices are roughly the same all over (excepting the Islands and Bangkok)

 

I spent $10k on a home and m/c in Thailand. The weather is fine, nobody needs a car here.

$200k, I could pay all my expenses for the next 15 years, longer than I expect to live.

You need ton get your story straight. Others posts you say you live in Bangkok, now you are back to your chiang mai story like under your banned Maejob log in. Sort it out you fantasist.

[marcusarelus]

17 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Last time I was in Florida I went diving in the freshwater springs, visited NASA space centre, Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, walking on Sanibel Island, and Airboating through alligators in the swamps. I thought it was pretty exciting.

If I were American, I'd probably be living in Florida.

Don't forget teenage girls can wear t backs on Florida beaches.  That's always exciting.  Although as an old fella you should probably not look or they'll call you a perv.   

[marcusarelus]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Do you have sex everytime that you go shopping as well ?

Niche market.  

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

Others posts you say you live in Bangkok, now you are back to your chiang mai

Been in ChiangMai for 10 years, apart from 2016-2018 when I was back in London.

Never been any posts saying I lived in Bangkok, I've spent maybe 6 days in Bangkok, ever.

You must be confusing me with another poster.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

10 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Not sure why you feel the need to paint things so over-the-top black and white. The standard of living for foreigners living in Thailand is one long sliding scale and dependent on personal finance, choice and whim. Of course you can set up a one-example to then knock it down, but why is this so important to you? Is it just to justify your own decisions? Why even bother?

 

Because its true, and it bothers the hell out of me when people lie/embellish about it.

 

Objectively speaking, and looking at it from a financial prospective, Thailands return on any substantial investment is sub-standard. Nice/quality things here are more expensive than at least where im from. Sure you can buy a cheaply made home and live there until you die, but there is no safety net, "911" emergency services are almost non existent etc... The return for the investment makes no sense, unless you just want to live here because of the weather and women. 

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

unless you just want to live here because of the weather and women. 

Nice/quality things here are more expensive than at least where im from.

Now you got it.

How much for a night with a university student where you're from?

[UncleTouchyFingers]

4 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Don't forget teenage girls can wear t backs on Florida beaches.  That's always exciting.  Although as an old fella you should probably not look or they'll call you a perv.   

 

Yet you have no inhibitions in doing such a thing in Thailand. 

 

And this is, I suspect, one of the big reasons people choose to move here, but wont openly admit it. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Now you got it.

How much for a night with a university student where you're from?

 

Wouldn't know, im not yet a geriatric retiree. 

 

But at least we are getting into the real reasons people choose to live here. And I see nothing wrong with this btw. I originally came here for the wimmin too, but I never deluded myself into thinking that this was a magical, cheap place from the heavens. If I could go back and do it over, I would have kept Thailand as a holiday destination for blow-outs instead of moving here. Living here and contributing financially to a society that generally only tolerates you because of money isnt really all that great. 

[mogandave]

Do you have sex everytime that you go shopping as well ?

No, but grocery stores in the late morning on weekdays were a great place to pick up young mothers. Nothing like a little gash-n-dash to brighten the day...

I did get laid on the tailgate of the pick-up behind a Von’s once...

[sanemax]

15 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Wouldn't know, im not yet a geriatric retiree. 

 

But at least we are getting into the real reasons people choose to live here. And I see nothing wrong with this btw. I originally came here for the wimmin too, but I never deluded myself into thinking that this was a magical, cheap place from the heavens.

You can find prostitutes is most Countries though , do you particularly like Thai prostitutes?

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

No, but grocery stores in the late morning on weekdays were a great place to pick up young mothers. Nothing like a little gash-n-dash to brighten the day...
I did get laid on the tailgate of the pick-up behind a Von’s once...

 

How often did you manage to pick one up ?

Daily ? Monthly ? Yearly ?

[JLCrab]

31 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

unless you just want to live here because of the weather and women. 

Nah the weather sucks.

[Kadilo]

10 minutes ago, sanemax said:

How often did you manage to pick one up ?

Daily ? Monthly ? Yearly ?

Why do you have to turn every thread into discussing sex? 

[mogandave]

How often did you manage to pick one up ?
Daily ? Monthly ? Yearly ?

In the winter at least weekly.

[mogandave]

Delete

[cranki]

23 hours ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

When I'm working, I make around 820,000 baht a month. I dont work every month though, and Im 35 years old. 

 

My monthly expenditures in Thailand are around 80,000 a month. 

 

Ive been here for 8 years, and I live in Issan. I dont live here non-stop because when im working, I have to travel. 

 

Its gotten to the point where I really hate living here, and the only reason im still here is because of the tax break that US citizens get for being away from the USA. Im saving & stockpiling cash for my move back to the USA, and all the expenses that requires. House, car, insurance...etc. 

 

If you look at it objectively, from a financial standpoint, the only way thailand makes sense is when you are in a lower income bracket. Small thai house, preferably rented, motorbike, and local food with the occasional splurge. 

 

Once you start looking at a decent, modern place to live in this country with a nice car - Thailand makes ZERO financial sense. Youre looking at a several hundred thousand dollar outlay to live in a developing country with substandard building process and overpriced vehicles. A country that you will never be a citizen of. A country that you will forever be a "guest" in. 

 

Theres nothing wrong with living "cheaply" in Thailand, but IMO unless one is retiring here to do just that, its a waste of ones life. 

It really sounds like you have not made a life for yourself here mate...do you have friends and/or interests that you can do when here ??

 

Language (lack of) can be also be a hurdle, however, I am proficient enough in Thai that the wife never needs to tag to translate and almost all of my friends are Thai.

 

I earn 400,000 baht a month every month, working a roster that allows me to spend more time at home than at work, just turned 49 last month.

 

Been here 11 years, married 9yrs, we have travelled all over Thailand and been to Australia approx 8 times on holidays....although our now 3 yr old son has slowed things down somewhat.

 

Try buying a 200m2 of DIRT in Australia for the price you quoted in another post (unless in the middle of bumfukc Australia) you would be astounded at the prices....

 

In my industry (oil & gas) that has such high safety rules and regulations, and even in Australia generally nowadays, one can't fart in public without permission, it is refreshing to just kick back at home (yes...in Issan also) and chillax.

 

Got our own house that I designed, a couple of condo's that we rent, several rai elsewhere and on our 3rd car also, got me a scooter to zip around the village and my big bike to go for the odd 400/500km road trip.

Heaps of baht in the bank(wife is a great saver) and would not ever contemplate moving to Australia, even though we could afford to tomorrow...

I guess at the end of the day, home is what you make of it...cheers.
 

[mogandave]

You can find prostitutes is most Countries though , do you particularly like Thai prostitutes?

Don’t know about most countries, but unless you’re spending very long money (and sometimes even if you are), in the US, prostitutes are mostly drug-addicts trying to support their habit, and as such it a much different experience than the experience in Thailand.

Uhhh, to be clear, that’s what I’ve heard anyway, I don’t really know...

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Yet you have no inhibitions in doing such a thing in Thailand. 

 

And this is, I suspect, one of the big reasons people choose to move here, but wont openly admit it. 

Thai women don't wear T backs on the beach.  They are fully dressed and seldom wear bathing suits.  Come to Thailand and see for yourself.  

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Last time I was in Florida I went diving in the freshwater springs, visited NASA space centre, Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, walking on Sanibel Island, and Airboating through alligators in the swamps. I thought it was pretty exciting.

If I were American, I'd probably be living in Florida.

Traffic mosquitos high crime hurricanes poseurs obscene summer heat Canadians uggg. Nice place to visit but wouldnt want to live there.

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Because its true, and it bothers the hell out of me when people lie/embellish about it.

 

Objectively speaking, and looking at it from a financial prospective, Thailands return on any substantial investment is sub-standard. Nice/quality things here are more expensive than at least where im from. Sure you can buy a cheaply made home and live there until you die, but there is no safety net, "911" emergency services are almost non existent etc... The return for the investment makes no sense, unless you just want to live here because of the weather and women. 

I've had three emergencies here and got to the hospital in minutes in all three.  I call an ambulance for snakes and they arrive in minutes and take care of the poisonous snake.  My wife bought a house and land 10 years ago and that has been a good investment.  A little local knowledge and knowing where to purchase supplies and you can get a great home built here for much less.  Handyman came last week and changed ceiling light bulbs, replaced bathroom fixtures that I was bored with and other repairs for 600 baht for 3 hours work.  He brought his young son with him who watched cartoons on TV while he worked.  I have a safety net of family and direct bills my insurance.  I think you are reacting to other factors besides the obvious.  In my experience it's mostly a cash, immigration or woman problem.

[Nyezhov]

37 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Why do you have to turn every thread into discussing sex? 

Because other than the weather, food, hobbies and football, its probably all that most of us dudes care about.

[marcusarelus]

7 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Traffic mosquitos high crime hurricanes poseurs obscene summer heat Canadians uggg. Nice place to visit but wouldnt want to live there.

Don't forget the Europeans with black socks and sandals.

[Nyezhov]

23 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Don't forget the Europeans with black socks and sandals.

I just vomited in my throat

[HAKAPALITA]

Read one opinion that made me smile.... Carrying Capacity. Up to 1200 Kg , or 8 Persons.   Someone had printed so neatly underneath it looked genuine.  OR 3 GERMAN NATIONALS.