ok here we go. mind the grammar i haven't posted online in 12 years or so ???? nor do i have any social media at all. i am 42 and pretty much retired.

 

moved to thailand in 2003. lived in hat yai, nong bua daeng (what a fun learning experience that was - yikes)) and rayong. left thailand in 2008. came home to start the path for my wife and son to immigrate to my home country. been living here since 08 and will be returning to thailand in late july. 

 

my wife has been home numerous times on holiday but i have not been back since i left in 08. looking from the outside my o my have things changed. i have been watching thailand since the day i left to come home and to be honest i am a little nervous as to what i am in for. 

 

since the coup a few years ago i have had to drastically change my plans on what kind of life i was returning to. i was planning on building a new home and opening a business with my wife. i was planning to move to chaing rai but then i also saw (but not really) chaing rai this year during the haze season.....ahhhhhhh.

 

i will no longer be investing any money in thailand. the concrete political situation has had a tiny effect on my willingness to invest. 

 

will be living in bkk with my wive's mom to start. will make it easier to see what kind of life if any i want to build. so that helps quite a bit. i am able to get a 1 year multi entry visa from my home country embassy before i go as well. 

 

thoughts and comments...........

 

thanks in advance.

"Home" is  where the  heart is.  Up to you.

51 minutes ago, sillyfool said:

thoughts and comments...........

I don't really have any thoughts apart from you sound like a frightened individual.  

my home life is great. marriage is good have been going strong since we left. you are right. i'm frightened about the country i am coming back to. this is why i have changed my tune to invest. but fear never stopped me from getting on the back of some thai guys scooter who i just met. riding out to his countryside house not knowing if my kidney was going to be harvested or not. head first here we go.

Chiang rai is so beautiful again now. But the past few months were pretty horrible. It was my first year in Chiang Rai and will keep my fingers crossed next year will be better.

 

Everything always changes, but if you have a decent amount saved up or have nice regular income, Thailand is still a fantastic and beautiful place to be. Personally think it beats Europe and UK in nearly every way.

 

Welcome home ????

I'm sorry, what was your question again?

 

3 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

I'm sorry, what was your question again?

 

I've got absolutely, no idea whatsoever....

 

❓

yes

8 hours ago, sillyfool said:

my home life is great. marriage is good have been going strong since we left. you are right. i'm frightened about the country i am coming back to. this is why i have changed my tune to invest. but fear never stopped me from getting on the back of some thai guys scooter who i just met. riding out to his countryside house not knowing if my kidney was going to be harvested or not. head first here we go.

I think you are taking a sound approach. The thought of wishing to personally own, invest or build anything just does not enter my thoughts anymore ???? (how that contrasts from a decade ago). I'll leave the investing & building bit to the members of the family, with Thai nationality (who thankfully are plenty capable). I've not even bought a motorcycle????! The London issued ME visa is the best I think, I just do visa runs back to Edinburgh ????.

9 hours ago, sillyfool said:

will be living in bkk with my wive's mom to start.

What does your wife thinks about that? And where will your wife live?

did you say your sleeping with your wife's mum

Just some thoughts...

 

Spend most of the year in CR - rent...

 

During hazy season go home or to the beach...

 

Being a businessman is a profession. If you have no experience or talents, you should not bother. It does not make a good hobby and is very difficult to do even in your home country where you speak the language and know the rules... Very few hobbyists tend to prosper here. enjoy your life. There are 100s of reasons why business is not fun. Nor easy. 

 

 

Two important factors, your sons education, being Thai he can go to government school for free but really private school is far better. Health insurance also, lots of discussion on that, and even at your age premiums are expensive. At your age you should still think about working, filling your day without spending money 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What does your wife thinks about that? And where will your wife live?

it's complicated.

2 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

I'm sorry, what was your question again?

 

+ 1   

44 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

Just some thoughts...

 

Spend most of the year in CR - rent...

 

During hazy season go home or to the beach...

 

Being a businessman is a profession. If you have no experience or talents, you should not bother. It does not make a good hobby and is very difficult to do even in your home country where you speak the language and know the rules... Very few hobbyists tend to prosper here. enjoy your life. There are 100s of reasons why business is not fun. Nor easy. 

 

 

thanks Ken. i do like the south and most of my friends live there.

If you like it here, then stay.

Troll comment removed.

With respect......

   What is the point of the post?

let me help you out
can you own land in thailand - nope
can you own majority of business here - nope
can you become a permanent resident here - very very very unlikely

End of the day Thailand is never going to be your home and with the constantly changing rules you could invest everything here and either end up splitting from the wife and losing nearly all of it or the ever changing visa laws could mean you can no longer stay here. 

The decision is up to you but obviously you know the situation here and the high risks that come with investing here or planning for retirement here. Better to rent and keep yourself liquid with the ability to move anywhere else should you choose to or at least invest in a western country.

Your wife and children have lived at your "home" for years.

You have no idea if your wife or children will be happier here.

Keep the investments and commitments to a minimum until things are more clear.

4 hours ago, dotpoom said:

With respect......

   What is the point of the post?

with respect.....

 

the point is interaction. talking to others who have been and are still in thailand. finding out what sort of s**t show i am in for......apologies if my post doesn't appease you.

 

with respect.

2 hours ago, timendres said:

Your wife and children have lived at your "home" for years.

You have no idea if your wife or children will be happier here.

Keep the investments and commitments to a minimum until things are more clear.

wife and son are both thai so that shouldn't be an issue. 

 

often the most difficult decision is deciding what you want, once you've made that decision then all your efforts can go into achieving it. this philosophy has served me well.

4 hours ago, theonetrueaussie said:

let me help you out
can you own land in thailand - nope
can you own majority of business here - nope
can you become a permanent resident here - very very very unlikely

End of the day Thailand is never going to be your home and with the constantly changing rules you could invest everything here and either end up splitting from the wife and losing nearly all of it or the ever changing visa laws could mean you can no longer stay here. 

The decision is up to you but obviously you know the situation here and the high risks that come with investing here or planning for retirement here. Better to rent and keep yourself liquid with the ability to move anywhere else should you choose to or at least invest in a western country.

 

    The points raised above are the most important any man retiring at such a young age like yours should be considering.

    

If you have already saved up over 300k USD, and you are very frugal with money meaning you are planning on spending not more than 30k per month max on living expenses for you and your family, then move on in. But on a 2nd thought even at a mere 30k per month living expenses you'd burn out most of your 300k USD money in 20 years and you'd still be only 62 and still be considered a long term tourist here and sadly past the employable age for most employers. So, let' say a savings of 600k US minimum is what you should have if you dont want to end up being grumpy a old man here on this forum in 20 years time with younger thai's trolling you with negative comments.

                                                                                                                                                       
   Thailand is a relatively safe place to live because of the natural non-confrontational nature of most south asians,most people come of friendly and relaxed. But you'll be trapped in a glass box by these immigration/foreign residential laws and after a long term of torture with these laws it wouldnt matter to you whether or not people are smiling or not as you would be feeling burned out. On the other hand if the pressure to move back to thailand is from your wife and her family, then accept your fate, and do it for love.

 

  Thailand is great for a few weeks of travel and then you go back to wherever you're from. Once you move here and start having problems with money to keep up with their forever changing immigration rules, then what you love the most about thailand becomes what you'll hate the most.

39 minutes ago, jessebkk1 said:

 

    The points raised above are the most important any man retiring at such a young age like yours should be considering.

    

If you have already saved up over 300k USD, and you are very frugal with money meaning you are planning on spending not more than 30k per month max on living expenses for you and your family, then move on in. But on a 2nd thought even at a mere 30k per month living expenses you'd burn out most of your 300k USD money in 20 years and you'd still be only 62 and still be considered a long term tourist here and sadly past the employable age for most employers. So, let' say a savings of 600k US minimum is what you should have if you dont want to end up being grumpy a old man here on this forum in 20 years time with younger thai's trolling you with negative comments.

                                                                                                                                                       
   Thailand is a relatively safe place to live because of the natural non-confrontational nature of most south asians,most people come of friendly and relaxed. But you'll be trapped in a glass box by these immigration/foreign residential laws and after a long term of torture with these laws it wouldnt matter to you whether or not people are smiling or not as you would be feeling burned out. On the other hand if the pressure to move back to thailand is from your wife and her family, then accept your fate, and do it for love.

 

  Thailand is great for a few weeks of travel and then you go back to wherever you're from. Once you move here and start having problems with money to keep up with their forever changing immigration rules, then what you love the most about thailand becomes what you'll hate the most.

jesse

 

i have invested most of my money and a steady income will not be an issue moving forward for me. 

the pressure to move back initially came from me as i never wanted to leave in the first place. it was my wife that wanted to leave thailand. now it is her that also wants to move back. we have both had enough of the west for a while. 

 

having lived in thailand for a number of years before i know that immigration is a pain in the ass. if i don't like the rules and hoops i can always take my ass home right ? i already went through the whole should i be here what the f am i doing in this crazy country phase. i accepted the good and bad things of the country. for me the good outweighs the bad. 

 

i am a visitor in a foreign land and always will be.

23 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

"Home" is  where the  heart is.  Up to you.

But remember, LOS is now under many new immigration and financial rules - and is much more expensive than 19 years ago!

45 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

But remember, LOS is now under many new immigration and financial rules - and is much more expensive than 19 years ago!

And where  either  you  or I  originate from  has not changed for the worse over that  time?

14 hours ago, sillyfool said:

jesse

 

i have invested most of my money and a steady income will not be an issue moving forward for me. 

the pressure to move back initially came from me as i never wanted to leave in the first place. it was my wife that wanted to leave thailand. now it is her that also wants to move back. we have both had enough of the west for a while. 

 

having lived in thailand for a number of years before i know that immigration is a pain in the ass. if i don't like the rules and hoops i can always take my ass home right ? i already went through the whole should i be here what the f am i doing in this crazy country phase. i accepted the good and bad things of the country. for me the good outweighs the bad. 

 

i am a visitor in a foreign land and always will be.

Sure thailand is an okay place to be in once you're aware of the good and the bad, have your longterm finances sorted out and have one foot already out the door should shxt ever hit the fan with government of the day. Go for it bud!