On 6/12/2019 at 10:44 PM, bubblehead said:

Great post which I can relate to.

You hit the nail on the head!!

I agree with you about your estimate and the school systems. I will not trade my children's education for living here-for what? I am taking family back to USA/San Diego, where I have a house and all schools and college are very close. My kids education is more important than staying here and paying crazy money for poor education.

4 minutes ago, tootall said:

I constantly tell my wife she spends too much money. Big problem, she can go through 30,000 BHT in 2 weeks if I do not put my foot down. I pay monthly rent on a nice big house in Pattaya, 16,000 BHT, monthly trips to Big C for shopping food 7,000-10,000 BHT. Kids get sick and the Thai 30BHT hospitals give that kind of treatment-need to go better hospitals or clinics. Water/electric 5,000 BHT a month. The foriegn currency to the BHT is super poor and getting worse. Thailand is not cheap anymore for a family of 4 like you and me (2 boys). The truck and motorbike are paid for, then there is always her family drama and needing money. 

I do garner a little satisfaction seeing rent of 16,000 baht, having built a modest home on land provided by my mother in law. With the current trend of ROE dictating 20% more overseas cash required to match the same costs/rents as a few years ago when we built. Not gloating over the misfortune of others, just appreciate my own luck, and having the sense not to listen to the 'rent' only crowd

Not having to stump up for rent just about offsets the current exchange rate dip

On 6/11/2019 at 11:52 AM, Ireland32 said:

I sent my gf , 8,000 a month for 6 years and she was still able to gamble, 100,000, you will create a monster, This was in Korat, now I give her 3,000 a week, plenty for her and son and nephew she lives at home, child is in top of his class, he’s 11, if you have money to throw around, throw it, I do but I’m keenyow, she’s a gambler, I don’t feed gamblers

I wasn't thinking about gamble but in general even, once they know that money is available the clothes change for brands, salons for luxury ones and before you know it is normal to be in every aspect of their lives even they were happy to live in a shoebox without AC and 9K a month, while working fulltime, before that.

Can't generalise this of course but it is very common to happen, anywhere in the world actually. 

For myself, wife and young one it is enough with 40K and that already includes good coffee, real bread, cheese and more. 
I am pretty sure this will get to 60K as soon we get out more often again and school costs come along.

Not including going back to my home country once a year, that really kicked in hard when calculating.
Pretty risky overall, our first goal is to secure farmland and a house (aside of the property/land in her hometown).
Guess the luck is that the misses can work again too when the young one starts going to school.

I am pretty shocked by some of the large numbers here, certainly if it comes to donating it away for free spending on misses side.
Even when earning that in business, I would not just burn that in private.

On 6/11/2019 at 9:56 AM, Stevemercer said:

The average Thai family will be able to live very comfortably on a monthly income of 100,000 Baht (increasing 2% per years). 

Really royal and luxury you mean, you must be dreaming.
That is like what a European household nets after taxes on average, working both, 1 fulltime and 1 parttime.
Not even starting about the cost of living yet.

On 6/8/2019 at 5:43 AM, Clive said:

My half Thai kids wish to live in Thailand in the future and I wish to invest in a fund but not sure what the target should be approximately.

 

When are they "wishing" to go back to Thailand ?  What age?

Setting up a "trust fund" is admirable if you have the money.  

Social Security will only cover First wife and kids until they reach 18 years old BTW (if you are American)

 

 

On 6/23/2019 at 3:37 PM, tootall said:

I will not trade my children's education for living here-for what? I am taking family back to USA/San Diego, where I have a house and all schools and college are very close. My kids education is more important than staying here and paying crazy money for poor education.

The latest findings from the Pew Research Center have the US in 38th place out of 71 countries when it comes to math scores and 24th place when it comes to science.  27th place for healthcare

 https://www.businessinsider.com/us-ranks-27th-for-healthcare-and-education-2018-9