Aussies. I haters please. Genuine discussion.

[AverageBloke]

4 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

 

I would be very careful about selling my house and not having a bolt hole to go back to if it all goes pear shaped.  I hope you are also in good health, have the available means to have good expat health Insurance. These are the major worries here. You don't want to get sick and spend millions in hospital care. These are things you need/must take into account.

Thank you, these are the things I need to weigh up. Because most of my money would be invested I could easily come back and start again. Maybe not !00% as well off then when I started but still okay. I do appreciate your feedback and I'm taking everything onboard. I get on like a house on fire with her family and no one has ever asked me for money or tried to take advantage of me. I don't mind putting my hand in my pocket to help out or to pay my way but so far it's all been easygoing. Maybe that's part of the attraction, they really treat me as part of the family. 

 

[Olmate]

5 minutes ago, Andrew Nelson said:

Thank you, these are the things I need to weigh up. Because most of my money would be invested I could easily come back and start again. Maybe not !00% as well off then when I started but still okay. I do appreciate your feedback and I'm taking everything onboard. I get on like a house on fire with her family and no one has ever asked me for money or tried to take advantage of me. I don't mind putting my hand in my pocket to help out or to pay my way but so far it's all been easygoing. Maybe that's part of the attraction, they really treat me as part of the family. 

 

I,d be very wary, why not just visit ,rent a place yourself and see how it goes. You can see it’s your money that will be the focus, your input into gf family will be their focus and your already accepting of this. Why?

[Rimmer]

A post speculating about another member circumstances has been removed

[AverageBloke]

2 minutes ago, Olmate said:

 

I,d be very wary, why not just visit ,rent a place yourself and see how it goes. You can see it’s your money that will be the focus, your input into gf family will be their focus and your already accepting of this. Why?

All of her family work and have never asked me for anything, when i said they are really nice to me I meant we all have a laugh together and the brothers and I enjoy having a beer together and watching mai thai boxing on the tele. They actually said they have a spare honda 150 that I can have if I want to get it registered. 

[Will27]

2 hours ago, Andrew Nelson said:

I don't want to interupt this discussion but this being a mainly Aussie based thread I thought it would be okay to ask a quick question. I'm 60 and live alone in my own home in Australia. I've been traveling toThailand for the last couple of years and have a very kind/good hearted thai girlfriend. She lives alone in Isaan but has a lovely 2 story home and also a block of land, both of which she owns outright. Our joint income for the month (if I move) would probably be in the vicinity of about 75,000baht. My share of that figure would be interest of money invested so I wouldn't have to be touching my principal. 

I'm somewhat cautious by nature but I know life is short and sometimes I think we have to follow our dreams. I think following this path is possible but I'd really like to have a little feedback from some of you guys who have traveled this path before me. If I've posted in the wrong forum then please delete my question. cheers 

What is your social life like in Oz?

What is keeping you there?

 

If you can afford it, it's a no-brainer really.

You can do a lot more in Thailand at 60 than you can at 65 and so on.

 

Like another poster suggested, I'd be a bit wary about living in the middle of nowhere.

It's one thing to visit but another entirely to be living there.

 

Would your girlfriend give up her job?

If not, what would you do out in the sticks by yourself all day?

 

It's not a biggie though.

If after a couple of months you don't like it there, you can just move somewhere else.

 

Like I've said, if you can afford it, do it.

 

 

[totally thaied up]

Andrew,  the main reason for this thread is about is it worth it now with a lower dollar. When the dollar was high, this place was very easy to live in.  Coming to Thailand can be rewarding if you are in the right mindset and if you have enough capital to outlast major currency movements. Life is pretty good here. Just be very wary of any Thai. They can play the long game easily and most of us posting here has seen it happen. I only complain due to health concerns I have that make living in Australia cheaper. If it was not for that problem, living anywhere in SEA is pretty nice but understand we are getting older and that concern must be accounted for. If you got plenty of dollars and don't let the little head do the thinking, Thailand has got value but for certain, it is now not as cheap as it once was. 

[Nemises]

I don't want to interupt this discussion but this being a mainly Aussie based thread I thought it would be okay to ask a quick question. I'm 60 and live alone in my own home in Australia. I've been traveling toThailand for the last couple of years and have a very kind/good hearted thai girlfriend. She lives alone in Isaan but has a lovely 2 story home and also a block of land, both of which she owns outright. Our joint income for the month (if I move) would probably be in the vicinity of about 75,000baht. My share of that figure would be interest of money invested so I wouldn't have to be touching my principal.  I'm somewhat cautious by nature but I know life is short and sometimes I think we have to follow our dreams. I think following this path is possible but I'd really like to have a little feedback from some of you guys who have traveled this path before me. If I've posted in the wrong forum then please delete my question. cheers       

 

I’d give it a crack for sure. Lots of Aussies in Isaan. Surviving happily as the only farang in a remote village can be fun (celebrity status) but also potentially dangerous (“all farang have big money, let’s rob him” - refer colineill TV article). Maybe get a dog, a car, good internet connection to watch all your fav Oz sports, TV shows etc. Download Kindle books, let the good lady pamper you.You’ve worked hard all your life, time to relax and experience something different.

Hotel tariffs are ridiculously cheap in Isaan so maybe do some regular trips away exploring.

Depending where you’re from in Aus, the heat could be a killer. So maybe install A/C in her house if not already there. Electricity a fraction of Aus cost, so don’t hold back on comfort.

As you say “you live once” and you said that you have the finances.

Therefore I agree with other poster... no brainer.

ALWAYS take care if you go. Good luck.    

 

 

 

 

[AverageBloke]

Thank you TTU, The weakening of the dollar against the baht and things like the long game still have me feeling cautious because I tend to believe the best in people but I believe everyone when they say it can happen to anyone.  

I'm heading over again in October and I've promised myself I wont make any commitments for at least the next year. Hearing that life is pretty good for you gives me some encouragment because sometimes it's easier to get stuck on all the negatives. Thank you for everyone who took the time to talk to me and I'll try to keep on topic in the future.  

[AverageBloke]

33 minutes ago, Nemises said:

 

I’d give it a crack for sure. Lots of Aussies in Isaan. Surviving happily as the only farang in a remote village can be fun (celebrity status) but also potentially dangerous (“all farang have big money, let’s rob him” - refer colineill TV article). Maybe get a dog, a car, good internet connection to watch all your fav Oz sports, TV shows etc. Download Kindle books, let the good lady pamper you.You’ve worked hard all your life, time to relax and experience something different.

Hotel tariffs are ridiculously cheap in Isaan so maybe do some regular trips away exploring.

Depending where you’re from in Aus, the heat could be a killer. So maybe install A/C in her house if not already there. Electricity a fraction of Aus cost, so don’t hold back on comfort.

As you say “you live once” and you said that you have the finances.

Therefore I agree with other poster... no brainer.

ALWAYS take care if you go. Good luck.    

 

 

 

 

Thanks Nemises, you must have read my mind because I planned on still being able to watch the occassional game of rugby league and doing a bit of reading. I'm about an hour south of the QLD border so I'm used to a bit of heat but it was pretty full on in Isaan when I was there last March. The girlfriends house has air con in the bedroom but I'm more than happy to upgrade it and put one in the lounge room. I'm not going to skimp to much on enjoying myself because i know those little luxuries can make all the difference and I'll keep my witts about me about being a possible target.

 

I probably already said it too many times but thank you all for all your imput. It's only you guys that know all the pro's and con's and youv'e really helped me heaps. 

[totally thaied up]

18 minutes ago, Andrew Nelson said:

Hearing that life is pretty good for you gives me some encouragment because sometimes it's easier to get stuck on all the negatives. Thank you for everyone who took the time to talk to me and I'll try to keep on topic in the future.  

We did not stray off topic too much. Most of us posting here have been in Thailand for 10 years or longer. We can be a bit rough around the edges but we don't like seeing people done over.

 

Within this thread (and others) I have made a case that for myself, I must be mad to stay in Thailand when it is costing me more money then what I spend in Australia. Others may chide me over this but I have been very honest in this fact. If I ended up selling on up everything in Australia, and cost averaged everything down over my lifetime, I could live a pretty high life here. I am far from being broke but remember I am only 50 years of age and have a long way to go with no further options of employment.

 

Problem is this below and many people do not think about these issues when coming to Thailand. My Grandmother lived to 99. The last six years of her life, my family cared for her. It was very hard, and in other ways, very touching to see. When you are dying you need care and sometimes, that care can take as in the process of years. Here in Thailand my wife would look after me but what if my illness I have now gets worse and I need specialized care. What about if at 70 we are told we have dementia. We cannot know the out come (and that is when it become a gamble in living in Thailand) as you need services in general that only your home country and provide.

 

I think Thailand is a great, young mans place till maybe 70 and then after that, depending on your health, you need to have plans or need to have plenty of money. Most my friends think they are going to drop dead one day but I have not seen that happen to many of them. They often linger on for a year or two and need a lot of care. This is when I say, you need to have some form of plan ahead and just be flexible in saying Thailand cannot do anything (unless you are wealthy enough to be able to pay for 24/7 care and the doctors bills - medication here is expensive).

 

I am just being a realist and I get called out on it at times but I have been deadly sick here before and I know how it works. I really do wish you the best with your plans but just a little bit of skepticism about things and people will not hurt you as it keeps you grounded and on your toes.

[John P Ryke]

8 hours ago, madmen said:

same as oz it varies

 

You know what this is ? its your future . When the oz dollar hits historical support at 15 baht ( and it will charts don't lie) it will be mamma noodles and Lao khao for ozzies and if that support doesn't hold then it will be in freefall and impossible to return back to oz with empty pockets or god forbid end up needing urgent medical assistance

ok madman, you had your fun with the doom and disaster scenario,,,,,you forget one thing, all of us have 800k baht to convert at approx 15 baht to the dollar....work it out for yourself....never mind I will help you...thats sixty thousand Aussie dollars....cost us less than 40,000 to get that sixty thousand.....hang on,,,,that's a 50% investment gain.....try and find an investment that pays that interest....

[AverageBloke]

2 hours ago, Will27 said:

 

What is your social life like in Oz?

What is keeping you there?

 

If you can afford it, it's a no-brainer really.

You can do a lot more in Thailand at 60 than you can at 65 and so on.

 

Like another poster suggested, I'd be a bit wary about living in the middle of nowhere.

It's one thing to visit but another entirely to be living there.

 

Would your girlfriend give up her job?

If not, what would you do out in the sticks by yourself all day?

 

It's not a biggie though.

If after a couple of months you don't like it there, you can just move somewhere else.

 

Like I've said, if you can afford it, do it.

 

 

Hi Will, I'm sorry for the slow reply mate. My social life in Australia is pretty quiet and I live alone after having spent 20 years bringing up my daughter. 

Being out in the sticks is a bit of a concern but theirs a fairly large shopping centre nearby which is always good for an outing and a huge Global hardware, plus I used to enjoy playing around with motorcycles when I was younger so I wouldn't mind doing a bit of that. 

The girlfriends job is to do with finance and most of that work can be done at home so I would have plenty of company. There's also a another Aussia i've meet over there and he seems like a good bloke so maybe we could catch up now and then for a beer or a meal. 

At the moment my gut is telling me to have a go and I'm pretty sure I will follow it but talking to you guys gives me a bit more confidence...cheers

 

[Nemises]

Thanks Nemises, you must have read my mind because I planned on still being able to watch the occassional game of rugby league ...

One of my passions is also rugby league. So what I do is to access Foxtel from my Aus Foxtel subscription to my Foxtel Go app on my laptop. If you don’t have Foxtel, ask (pay if need be!) a relative/friend for their password.

Every game live...Go NSW in the decider!

 

 

[AverageBloke]

Just now, Nemises said:

 

One of my passions is also rugby league. So what I do is to access Foxtel from my Aus Foxtel subscription to my Foxtel Go app on my laptop. If you don’t have Foxtel, ask (pay if needed) a relative/friend for their password.
Every game live...Go NSW in the decider!
 

Great game last night, I hope you enjoyed it? Go the blues ! 

[madmen]

30 minutes ago, John P Ryke said:

all of us have 800k baht

5555555  to funny. 800k??  most had an income greater than 65k which vanished into thin air along with the stat decs

What you meant to say was some of us have 800k

 

I have a bangkok condo bought years ago with a screaming dollar on lower sukhumvit Asoke now worth 7 million plus exchange rate. Not going to sell yet. I believe the chart shows the AUD has a lot further to go

[totally thaied up]

Could not get file to upload - try again later

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Andrew Nelson said:

Great game last night, I hope you enjoyed it? Go the blues ! 

Oh dear. An import from the Mother Country.

When are you guys going to convert to Aussie Rules? Far more exciting to watch.  Rugby code is watching guys with thick necks throwing a ball backwards.

[CygnusX1]

6 hours ago, Nemises said:

So what I do is to access Foxtel from my Aus Foxtel subscription to my Foxtel Go app on my laptop.

How do you do that? I can’t even set up a remote record on my box in Australia when I’m overseas, as Foxtel don’t let me do anything at all if they detect that I’m not in Australia. I’m planning to cancel Foxtel when I return to Australia as a result.

[elliss]

On 6/16/2019 at 10:23 PM, madmen said:

And to ad insult to injury the famous old boring t shirts saying no money no honey all of a sudden become annoying to look at

 

Sad but so true . the only honey i can afford is from lotus , 189 a bottle.

 

 

[Nemises]

How do you do that? I can’t even set up a remote record on my box in Australia when I’m overseas, as Foxtel don’t let me do anything at all if they detect that I’m not in Australia. I’m planning to cancel Foxtel when I return to Australia as a result.

Too easy mate, you just need a VPN. A VPN lets you change your devices’ IP address so that Foxtel etc thinks you’re in Aus. There are numerous VPN providers. Some are free, most offer free trials. There’s a TV forum dedicated to IT & Computers (see below). In there you’ll find loads of VPN recommendations, be sure you only buy after testing that it works with Foxtel.

 

 

 

Proxies, VPN And Other Information

3rd item is VPN:

What is a VPN?

(Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks. VPNs are widely used by enterprises to create wide area networks (WANs) that span large geographic areas, to provide site-to-site connections to branch offices and to allow mobile users to dial up their company LANs.

Legality of VPN in Thailand. The computer crime act does not prohibit it but under certain sections it is indirectly covered and that is if it is used to bypass government blocks or for illegal activity it is illegal in that the activity is illegal but the technology is not.

There are many companies, especially International ones, that have to use it for corporate business as part of a WAN. There are also some big players that offer these services in Thailand. Here are some specifics:

First, my post on this subject from previous thread here

Thailand IP VPN Service market

[/url]Pacnet Thailand VPN services

Jastel

And more similar companies.

If a topic is asking how to use VPN to get around MICT or getting the best porn without being caught or downloading TV shows, then the topic is in violation of forum rules and the law and will be closed. However if one is asking what the best VPN software or service then that is a valid question.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/applications/tapatalk/index.php?/topic/334588-Proxies%2C-VPN-And-Other-Information/page__view__findpost__p__3306326

 

 

[Olmate]

3 hours ago, Nemises said:

Too easy mate, you just need a VPN. A VPN lets you change your devices’ IP address so that Foxtel etc thinks you’re in Aus. There are numerous VPN providers. Some are free, most offer free trials. There’s a TV forum dedicated to IT & Computers (see below). In there you’ll find loads of VPN recommendations, be sure you only buy after testing that it works with Foxtel.

 

 

 

Proxies, VPN And Other Information

3rd item is VPN:

What is a VPN?

(Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks. VPNs are widely used by enterprises to create wide area networks (WANs) that span large geographic areas, to provide site-to-site connections to branch offices and to allow mobile users to dial up their company LANs.

Legality of VPN in Thailand. The computer crime act does not prohibit it but under certain sections it is indirectly covered and that is if it is used to bypass government blocks or for illegal activity it is illegal in that the activity is illegal but the technology is not.

There are many companies, especially International ones, that have to use it for corporate business as part of a WAN. There are also some big players that offer these services in Thailand. Here are some specifics:

First, my post on this subject from previous thread here

Thailand IP VPN Service market

[/url]Pacnet Thailand VPN services

Jastel

And more similar companies.

If a topic is asking how to use VPN to get around MICT or getting the best porn without being caught or downloading TV shows, then the topic is in violation of forum rules and the law and will be closed. However if one is asking what the best VPN software or service then that is a valid question.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/applications/tapatalk/index.php?/topic/334588-Proxies%2C-VPN-And-Other-Information/page__view__findpost__p__3306326

 

 

Lot easier to stroll down to the sports bar me thinks!

[Nemises]

Yep, sports bars for sure for added atmosphere from the other punters. But if the bar is oppressively hot, humid and filled with cigarette smokers, then air con comfort without cigarette smoke at home, with mates, a barbie and a few dozen coldies is sometimes better!

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

On 6/24/2019 at 6:50 AM, madmen said:

Thailand varies state to state...many 24/7 100% humidity = aircon round the clock ! = Big electric bills

 

next ????

The elephant in the room - which all your posts ignore - is the issue of relationships and sex.

A relationship of any duration in Australia will cost you half your assets in the event of a relationship breakdown. That's the law.

Provided one is sensible about it, marriage in Thailand that ends in divorce will be a split of assets accumulated AFTER marriage. In a defacto relationship, there's no asset split. I keep what is mine.

On the purely commercial side, pay-for-play sex in Thailand is a minor fraction of the cost it is in Australia.

For older men, most of what's on offer in Australia resembles beached whales,  with the disposition of an inland taipan.

My Thai GF is 24 years younger than me. I don't consider I am hansum man. She looks after my every need. If you can find a similar deal in Oz, I suggest you take it up.

BTW, I use the aircon here quite a lot. Last month's bill is AUD 32.

 

[Nemises]

So what. Medicare is still free...OZ pension is 37-38k / month on todays exchange ..what a pathetic amount to live on after rent, insurance, living expenses and cant even afford... Far better off in small town OZ  

 

 “Far better off in small town Oz”.

 

Where, if you’re lucky, you might find one, possibly two available females on offer. Both aged 65-70. Both resembling aforementioned beached [emoji229] [emoji228]. Yep, far better off in that “small Oz town” [emoji106]

 

 

 

 

[totally thaied up]

Lol... The attraction of cheap pussy. Not as cheap as most say. Almost everyone I know has bought a Thai a house/Condo/car or gold. Renting is not that safe either. In the last few months a few girls in our village area that worked in Pattaya have died of fully blown HIV. I know of two farang that have contracted the disease in the last two years. 

[CygnusX1]

21 hours ago, Nemises said:

Too easy mate, you just need a VPN

Thanks Nemises for very comprehensive reply, will look into it.

[Baboy]

On 6/26/2019 at 12:02 AM, CygnusX1 said:

Thanks Nemises for very comprehensive reply, will look into it.

I use Express VPN, not free but last subscription I bought worked out to about 10 US a month well worth as never had any problems with it. Last time in OZ watched the AFL on the overseas pass by setting up VPN for Singapore. Absolute idiot proof which is why it suits me.

[Nemises]

Yeah I agree, Express is easy peasy to use. Although the last time I checked, it couldn’t connect to any of the “Catchup” content on the AUS 9Now site when you’re abroad...so can’t recommend.

Maybe Express have already sorted this problem...Hope so!

 

[lvr181]

On 6/16/2019 at 11:47 PM, fishtank said:

Things are not cheaper here.

You try being a Brit.

Don't be so cruel to the guy! ????????????

 

(my strike thru)

[observer90210]

Housing and food are cheap.

Girls and booze in Thailand are very often sometimes more expensive then in some lovely beachfront holiday resorts in Spain or France. Yes gentlemen....sorry to spoil the mood. As for housing, Spain still has some very good bargains and no visa or land deed issues. But obviously, the climate in winter is not the same.