It might make more sense to move around, to avoid visa issues. Chiang Mai is good May to November as the pollution is pretty much gone by then. You could get a six month ED Visa for Thai language, but that encroaches on work time. Or come for three months at a time, and find another country to do likewise. Take your pick, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines ... you can get reasonable cheap flights to Bali. So move around, keep under the radar, no need to mention work to anyone, especially the authorities ... just be a traveller. You’ll need a slighter bigger budget but you’ll have a much more interesting time.

9 hours ago, sharktooth said:

When I was young I was constantly skint. Traveling abroad wasnt an option. Work and work. The bank of mummy and daddy didn’t exist. Eventually uni, still skint. Good job and moved on, packed that industry, done hee haw for a while then went offshore. Long hard slog. Now I can do what I want. And I’m not 22 anymore.

True, true, true. Perhaps things have changed, but I didn't get paid enough to "go travelling".

I did solve the problem though, by joining the service when one really did see the world, and by going nursing after that, which gives opportunity for employment all over the world.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

True, true, true. Perhaps things have changed, but I didn't get paid enough to "go travelling".

I did solve the problem though, by joining the service when one really did see the world, and by going nursing after that, which gives opportunity for employment all over the world.

Maybe it worked out for you moving here young but I would have thought that most people who lacked the skills to earn a comfortable living in the West would also lack the skills to become a well paid expat.  My path is highly criticized by many farang here because most are very anti-corporate, but my qualifications at age 22 were not a lot different than a lot of today’s “digital nomads”.  At 22 I was a fresh engineeing grad and took a job with a big company in the States.  Then, working as an engineer based in the States,  I started to travel to Asia (including Thailand) on behalf of MNCs starting at age 25.  The trips were mostly "all work" but in aggregate they gave a reasonable dose of the culture and allowed me to make friends with locals who were my peers (rather than only meeting locals who work in hotels, restaurants, and bars).  I did that for about 15 years before taking my first full-time job in Asia.

IMO, focusing too much on the cost of living is a trap because there’s generally an opportunity cost in living in places where the wage scale is low.  One part of it is that in such places you are unlikely to find mentors who are older and have more expertise in your field than you do.  That can hold back your development.  Another part of it is that if you are going to earn more than the cost of living no matter where you are and you are working for local wages, then you will generally be in a position to save more money in more expensive places.  For instance, if your choice is earning $2000/month in Chiang Mai where it costs $1000/month to live or earning $100,000/yr in Silicon Valley where it costs $50,000/yr to live, which one will lead to a better life?  I say the latter, because after not so many years of living & working in the more expensive place you’d have saved enough money to retire young to the cheaper place.
 

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 1:08 PM, suzannegoh said:

Maybe it worked out for you moving here young but I would have thought that most people who lacked the skills to earn a comfortable living in the West would also lack the skills to become a well paid expat.  My path is highly criticized by many farang here because most are very anti-corporate, but my qualifications at age 22 were not a lot different than a lot of today’s “digital nomads”.  At 22 I was a fresh engineeing grad and took a job with a big company in the States.  Then, working as an engineer based in the States,  I started to travel to Asia (including Thailand) on behalf of MNCs starting at age 25.  The trips were mostly "all work" but in aggregate they gave a reasonable dose of the culture and allowed me to make friends with locals who were my peers (rather than only meeting locals who work in hotels, restaurants, and bars).  I did that for about 15 years before taking my first full-time job in Asia.

IMO, focusing too much on the cost of living is a trap because there’s generally an opportunity cost in living in places where the wage scale is low.  One part of it is that in such places you are unlikely to find mentors who are older and have more expertise in your field than you do.  That can hold back your development.  Another part of it is that if you are going to earn more than the cost of living no matter where you are and you are working for local wages, then you will generally be in a position to save more money in more expensive places.  For instance, if your choice is earning $2000/month in Chiang Mai where it costs $1000/month to live or earning $100,000/yr in Silicon Valley where it costs $50,000/yr to live, which one will lead to a better life?  I say the latter, because after not so many years of living & working in the more expensive place you’d have saved enough money to retire young to the cheaper place.
 

To be correct, I did not move to LOS when "young". I didn't even start visiting regularly till my 40s and visited on holiday till my 60s, after which I made the mistake of getting married to a Thai woman with a horrible family. 

17 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

To be correct, I did not move to LOS when "young". I didn't even start visiting regularly till my 40s and visited on holiday till my 60s, after which I made the mistake of getting married to a Thai woman with a horrible family. 

Are you saying you have a bad wife / marriage?

I am married to a lovely lady, but her family are the pits, my solution was an electric motor on the gate, keep the buggers out, it works, they cannot get in unless they ask.

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

Are you saying you have a bad wife / marriage?

I am married to a lovely lady, but her family are the pits, my solution was an electric motor on the gate, keep the buggers out, it works, they cannot get in unless they ask.

Divorced and left LOS for good.

Your wife may accept that, mine never ever would have. I figured well below the dog ( if they'd had one ) in importance. Her family was the most important thing in her life, and her mother dying changed her in a fundamental way. Bitter and twisted after; she was nothing like the lovely woman I married.

On 3/7/2019 at 7:08 AM, suzannegoh said:

 places.  For instance, if your choice is earning $2000/month in Chiang Mai where it costs $1000/month to live or earning $100,000/yr in Silicon Valley where it costs $50,000/yr to live, which one will lead to a better life? 

Which job pays US 2000/month in Chiang Mai for foreigners?

 

8 hours ago, EricTh said:

Which job pays US 2000/month in Chiang Mai for foreigners?

 

 

The point is that you could be located in Chiang Mai but working on a computer ... programming, teaching, consulting, currency and stock trading, eBay selling, You Tube vlogging ... and if you are any good at them, it would be possible to earn a decent living. 

 

Personally, China Mai is only good for the guaranteed 6 months of the year that is without smog.  

 

 

 

  The point is that you could be located in Chiang Mai but working on a computer ... programming, teaching, consulting, currency and stock trading, eBay selling, You Tube vlogging ... and if you are any good at them, it would be possible to earn a decent living.    Personally, China Mai is only good for the guaranteed 6 months of the year that is without smog.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

But just the question about "where can I get $2000/month in Chiang Mai" illustrates the point. While there are lots of talented young digital nomads in Chiang Mai who are "crushing it" on $500/month, there are conspicuously few who are crushing it in a BMW.     

 

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, suzannegoh said:

But just the question about "where can I get $2000/month in Chiang Mai" illustrates the point. While there are lots of talented young digital nomads in Chiang Mai who are "crushing it" on $500/month, there are conspicuously few who are crushing it in a BMW.     

 

 

 

 

I've lived there and could buy a BMW, but wouldn't buy any vehicle in Thailand:

 

(1) I'm not retired, and still like to move around the world;

(2) buying a vehicle is straightforward but getting rid of it at a fair price would not be.

(3) BMW's cost twice the European price, that plus resale means throwing money away.

 

If I were a digital nomad in Thailand I'd travel with a 20kg suitcase, rent, never buy assets like cars or bikes ... and be able to bale out of the country within 5 hours of making that decision. No matter how much money I was making.

Come and join us. It’s <deleted> magic here...

 

 

Enough already with this self entitled 22 year digital nomad. Who really gives a Fiddlers Fart if he moves here or not?? Chiang Mai is already full of these wan..kers who strut around like they are God's gift to Thailand and mankind.

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