My online income has made me more critical of Thailand

[Naam]

On 6/4/2019 at 11:27 AM, Pharoticus said:

On 6/4/2019 at 7:36 AM, Naam said:

my time is too valuable to discuss "investments" pertaining to the peanuts amount of THB 800k throwing in "since inception", mutual funds (yuck!) and ol' Warren Buffet.

Yeah right -- your time is so valuable you've made over 36,000 posts on this forum.

Thanks for the comic interlude.  

i don't mind posting if it's worthwhile. but i'm not willing to waste more than a minute on THB 800/400k visa requirement bitchings and the alternatives of using that cash to make a fortune instead.

[Naam]

21 hours ago, mike787 said:

On 6/4/2019 at 7:36 AM, Naam said:

my time is too valuable to discuss "investments" pertaining to the peanuts amount of THB 800k throwing in "since inception", mutual funds (yuck!) and ol' Warren Buffet.

There are people that cannot meet the Visa requirements or continue maintaining a living in Thailand due to inadequate finances.  Mathematics demonstrates one may want to consider "options" which are dependent on the choices one makes, and this is all very important because "...time is too valuable...(borrowing from your statement)" to waste. 

that there are people who cannot meet the visa requirements is very unfortunate (especially when family is involved) but besides the point. if they can't afford the cash which immigration requires they can't afford to invest cash that does not exist.

 

hence... there's no such thing like discussing options.

Quote

Just as many TVF members are engaging in an inteletcual exchange in deciding where to live out heir lives; while striking a balance of quality of life, finances, and etc.  It is obvious none of this matters to you, WONDERFUl.  We are all thrilled. 

i am thrilled that discussing options that don't exist matter to you and yes you are right, i admit they don't matter to me. my comments in this thread do not pertain to any intellectual exchange on quality of life, finances or any other topic than the [in]famous "800/400k".  

[mike787]

11 hours ago, Naam said:

that there are people who cannot meet the visa requirements is very unfortunate (especially when family is involved) but besides the point. if they can't afford the cash which immigration requires they can't afford to invest cash that does not exist.

 

hence... there's no such thing like discussing options.

i am thrilled that discussing options that don't exist matter to you and yes you are right, i admit they don't matter to me. my comments in this thread do not pertain to any intellectual exchange on quality of life, finances or any other topic than the [in]famous "800/400k".  

Financial options do exist for people that decide to choose them, making a "choice" IS the point....recall our discussion about an important variable - TIME?  

 

However, your statement is accurate: Options do not exist for you, because that is your choice! I understand your position.

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

21 hours ago, grifbel said:

Sorry that don't impress me much.  Had you said log cabin or eco-friendly solar powered yurt with recycling systems, rather than a pile of 15th century rubble, I might take notice.  The yurt would be way more economical for cheap charlies as well.

I quite like the looks of some of them, this barn is 100m2 on two levels for E14,500.

About 5Km from a Nation Park in the Central Massives. Small land though only 250m2.

 

[simon43]

I've started making hard plans to move!  It looks like the preferred destination for me in the Pyrenees will be back to live in the Principality of Andorra, where I lived in the 1990's.

 

Andorra is a tax haven for the rich, and outside the EU (but with strong EU ties).  But it also welcomes those of modest financial means (that's me!), who are willing to be active residents in the local community, residing in the country for most of their time.

 

I can register as a "Liberal Professional" which will allow me also to teach locally.

 

I am not required to form a company or have any financial savings/bond/payment in order to get my yearly resident's permit.

 

I can buy a house/condo and own land.

 

I don't have to report to immigration, no TM30's etc etc.

 

I can get on with my life, enjoy the nature, go skiing, walking and climbing etc.

 

Any hookers there?  Actually yes.  Andorra is the only place where a hooker jumped into my car at some traffic lights and offered herself......!

 

I'm sorting out the step-by-step procedure to move from Thailand.  Because I teach most days, it is a nightmare to figure out how to do this with minimal disruption.  I expect the best time to move will be next summer, before the ski season in Andorra.

[LivinLOS]

On 6/4/2019 at 10:41 AM, simon43 said:

Some might laugh about living in a 15,000 euro stone barn.  When I lived in Europe, I had a beautiful stone barn conversion in Somerset, as well as my 'cheap' barn in France that was minutes from the ski stations.

 

Just because it's cheap, don't knock it.  IMHO, there's nothing more relaxing and cosy than a roaring wood fire and a glass of port, whilst admiring the view from one's balcony.

For the expat who wants to keep a foot in the west.. Lodge homes (static caravans) on a nicely managed park is cheap as chips, pleasant in summer (only time I would consider being in Europe) and can handle all mail, internet, bills, etc without council tax or formal registration.. 

 

I am lucky in that I have 'no cost' base due to family property ownership, but as we are trying for planning consent change one plot into a development of homes, thats my likely fall back solution. I gave up all my european ties for 15 plus years, but visits to see parents or have some euro summer fun were complicated for cars, insurance, mail, etc.. I will keep a foothold, however small, just to keep my options open.

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

 

I'm sorting out the step-by-step procedure to move from Thailand.  Because I teach most days, it is a nightmare to figure out how to do this with minimal disruption.  I expect the best time to move will be next summer, before the ski season in Andorra.

Do it in steps.. Go and scout for a couple of months.. Travel is easier and cheaper than making mistakes from the outset. Your online work should be viable to operate from the get go simply based on a couple of travel days. 

I would lean to the Spanish side but thats just me.. Personally I find I am happiest bouncing back and forth at the moment, but I dont have the flexibility of work schedules and a lot more committed with a couple of dogs, wife, etc in Thai. 

[JAFO]

Good Luck OP,

Moving can be stressful and fun all at the same time. should be fun setting up new digs and starting all over. 

 

Funny you would mention hookers....priorities I suppose especially if you do not plan on socializing much.

[ThaiPauly]

On 6/3/2019 at 12:15 PM, ThaiPauly said:

I would leave CM in a heartbeat now if I was in a position to.

 

I'm of a mind to return to the UK, I still have property there, the shine has now gone from Thailand. I was one of those that always said I would never leave, but times are changing and not for the better.

 

Pollution here is just so bad and for so long now

New Immigration Rules

Value of the pound so low

 

 

The problem is that my wife is the only daughter of an ailing 84 year old dad who she does not want to leave right now, if it wasn't for him she would go so I will just have to put up with it , for how long is anybody's guess.

 

The thing is I did not retire in Thailand to "Put up with it" or anything for that matter. I retired here because it was a fun place to be, immigration was a breeze, 15 years ago there was hardly anyone at immigration when I went there, the pound was at 72-74, now it's under 40, the pollution was nowhere near as bad (or I don't remember it being bad) plus as I age I find I am not much interested in "fun" anymore, rather taking more care about what I eat and drink. I go to bed at 9pm. (Sad)

 

Many of my friends from the old days have packed up and moved on or died.

 

I can "get by" with the pound being so low, but we all have to make sacrifices because of it. So we don't travel anywhere near as extensively as we used to, don't have a maid anymore, I quit smoking, so we have saved a lot by doing these things.

 

I'm certainly not as happy to be here as I was, if I was you Simon I would go for sure if you don't have anything to hold you back.

 

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

The more I think about my reply the more unhappy I am to be here.

So I have decided to leave, I have a couple of flats and one will become vacant in October.

 

We will try and sell our house (I won't be holding my breath). My wife will move down to Surat Thani and rent a 2 bed house to be near her father and brothers, and probably get a job, though that's not essential. When her father eventually passes we will apply for a settlement visa to the UK.In the meantime I will be able to return to Thailand twice a year and she has a long term visa for the UK so she will be able to visit me once a year, so I expect us to spend 3 months a year together, which I think will be enough in the knowledge that someday she will be able to come to the UK

 

I don't feel particularly sad about this, TBH I will be glad to get away from here, it's all got out of control, I don't enjoy the best of health so I can see my poor health really eating into my retirement savings here and of course it won't in the UK.

 

Big decision, I thought I was coming here for life....my biggest mistake was not taking out health insurance when I first came here at 49 and was well, now I am almost 65 and have too many pre-existing conditions to get decent insurance.

 

So that's it- I'm off and I am sure I won't be the only one.

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

I would lean to the Spanish side but thats just me.. Personally I find I am happiest bouncing back and forth at the moment, but I dont have the flexibility of work schedules and a lot more committed with a couple of dogs, wife, etc in Thai. 

I'm still thinking France, a barn, cheap wine and cheese.

Pal of mine was into Medieval reenactments, thinking just put a shower and toilet into the barn, and set up camp tents inside the barn, or maybe a 1001 nights Arab prince theme with tents, cushions and floor rugs. The tents should be nice and warm, big one for living room, small ones for bedrooms.

[simon43]

Having made a firm decision to leave Thailand, I feel much relieved!  I realise now that my previous interest in remaining here (or in S.E.Asia) was purely because I was tied to a teaching job in a bricks and mortar school.  Online teaching has removed those barriers to location and I don't have to put up with the BS any longer ????

 

BTW, Andorra provides health cover for all residents, with a fixed monthly payment that is the same regardless of age and regardless of pre-existing conditions.  Is the treatment good?  Here's a quote:

 

"

A 2017 publication from The Lancet ranked healthcare systems from 195 countries and territories between 1990-2015. The study reviewed the most 32 frequent causes death from the “Global Burden of Disease“, and how these related to access and quality of adequate health care.

The study produced a HAQ score, or “Healthcare Access and Quality Index”, a score out of a possible 100. Andorra found itself to be the best health care system in the world, with a score of 95/100."{

 

 

[GarryP]

18 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Having made a firm decision to leave Thailand, I feel much relieved!  I realise now that my previous interest in remaining here (or in S.E.Asia) was purely because I was tied to a teaching job in a bricks and mortar school.  Online teaching has removed those barriers to location and I don't have to put up with the BS any longer ????

 

BTW, Andorra provides health cover for all residents, with a fixed monthly payment that is the same regardless of age and regardless of pre-existing conditions.  Is the treatment good?  Here's a quote:

 

"

A 2017 publication from The Lancet ranked healthcare systems from 195 countries and territories between 1990-2015. The study reviewed the most 32 frequent causes death from the “Global Burden of Disease“, and how these related to access and quality of adequate health care.

The study produced a HAQ score, or “Healthcare Access and Quality Index”, a score out of a possible 100. Andorra found itself to be the best health care system in the world, with a score of 95/100."{

 

 

That healthcare cover is approx 7,000 to 14,000 Baht per month and covers 75% of costs. Actually that could work out quite high.

[BritManToo]

39 minutes ago, simon43 said:

BTW, Andorra provides health cover for all residents, with a fixed monthly payment that is the same regardless of age and regardless of pre-existing conditions.  Is the treatment good?  Here's a quote:

Your EHIC card should cover everything free of charge in Spain and France.

[simon43]

7 hours ago, GarryP said:

That healthcare cover is approx 7,000 to 14,000 Baht per month and covers 75% of costs. Actually that could work out quite high.

I checked about this.  The contribution is a fixed 418 euros (14,758 baht) per month which is roughly split between medical cover and a pension contribution.  But one only needs to pay this until 65 years old, at which time one can choose to completely opt out of the system and use your own medical insurance.  If so, all pension contribution payments are returned to you as a lump sum with interest. 

 

Additionally, the 418 euros is discounted by 50% for the first year and further discounts apply in subsequent years for those with a low income (me!).

 

So... I would have to pay this for a few years, but could then opt out and also get my pension contributions back as a lump sum.

[GarryP]

7 hours ago, simon43 said:

I checked about this.  The contribution is a fixed 418 euros (14,758 baht) per month which is roughly split between medical cover and a pension contribution.  But one only needs to pay this until 65 years old, at which time one can choose to completely opt out of the system and use your own medical insurance.  If so, all pension contribution payments are returned to you as a lump sum with interest. 

 

Additionally, the 418 euros is discounted by 50% for the first year and further discounts apply in subsequent years for those with a low income (me!).

 

So... I would have to pay this for a few years, but could then opt out and also get my pension contributions back as a lump sum.

Seems you really are covering everything. Wish you all the best on your move.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 7:01 PM, Gecko123 said:

I can't emphasize enough how struck I've been about the level of future uncertainty there is these days. Is the global economy about to tip into recession? Is there going to be large-scale migration within the US due to climate change?

There is no way anyone can be certain about the future now, mainly due to coming massive automation and robotics. That is going to put many millions into unemployment, and that's a scenario I'll be happy to pass over ( not too long now ) and miss.

Unless governments wake up and "do something" about that, there is going to incredible chaos due to millions of unemployable people and no government money to pay them all to keep quiet.

Climate change- of course people will move, or die, if floods occur when they built on a flood plain, fires burn their houses because they built in a fire zone etc etc etc.

With overpopulation as it is, people live in areas totally unsuitable for occupation.

[ThaiBunny]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

There is no way anyone can be certain about the future now

Are you able to suggest a time in the past 100 years when someone could be "certain" about the future?

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, ThaiBunny said:

Are you able to suggest a time in the past 100 years when someone could be "certain" about the future?

Post WW2 and before the Vietnam war I'd suggest there was a fair amount of "certainty", as people bought lots of houses when young, raised families on a single income, and most western people thought times were good. The Vietnam war ended that, whether people realised it or not. Greed set in, ending in 2007, and in resurgence now. Poverty is becoming more widespread, real jobs are disappearing, housing becoming unaffordable for many, and one average income no longer enough for a family to live on.

Unfortunately, I do not see a better future for any but the rich, as most see their jobs automated, and the "living wage" becomes a reality.

The future is a place I'm happy to be missing.

[seasia]

On 6/6/2019 at 6:50 AM, BritManToo said:

I quite like the looks of some of them, this barn is 100m2 on two levels for E14,500.

About 5Km from a Nation Park in the Central Massives. Small land though only 250m2.

 

For the price and if able to do most of the work yourself and would enjoy the location, seems OK to me.

I was talking to a French friend and he mentioned the Cevennes region as being inexpensive for restoration type properties.

Also said when restored worth significantly more even after taking costs in to account.

He did stress that applies only if you do the restoration yourself.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

With overpopulation as it is, people live in areas totally unsuitable for occupation.

More a planning permission problem than overpopulation.

Only 6% of the UK is built on, and that % includes roads and airports.

Australia (0.5%), France, USA (1.1%) has even less buildings.

Edited June 7, 2019 by BritManToo

[LivinLOS]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'm still thinking France, a barn, cheap wine and cheese.

Pal of mine was into Medieval reenactments, thinking just put a shower and toilet into the barn, and set up camp tents inside the barn, or maybe a 1001 nights Arab prince theme with tents, cushions and floor rugs. The tents should be nice and warm, big one for living room, small ones for bedrooms.

Thats probably a bit too rustic for me.. But due to bouncing about, I have really come round to the smaller, zero (or low as possible) maintenance.. And low fixed costs. 

I might stay in one of 4 place for a month or so a year, so would be very gun shy of having full house costs in each place.. 

[LivinLOS]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Your EHIC card should cover everything free of charge in Spain and France.

is that not only emergency medical tho ?? 

 

Or does it cover everything once you register in another member state as a resident ? 

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

is that not only emergency medical tho ?? 

Or does it cover everything once you register in another member state as a resident ? 

Depends on the agreement with the country. France and Spain are pretty good.

Priced the tents, Coleman Festival Octagon around 200 GBP with full fly.

So just need a property I can make watertight, and add water, electricity, internet and sewage.

Edited June 7, 2019 by BritManToo