I want to retire as a beach bum in southern thailand

[seancbk]

On 7/9/2019 at 4:30 AM, madmen said:

On 7/9/2019 at 4:02 AM, andy said:

Also somewhat concerned about moving back to Thailand due to the crazy increases in cost of living

Which ones?

 

Have you seen the rental price of some condos in Bangkok now?   60,000 THB for 55 sqm, 1 bedroom.

[emptypockets]

Refreshing to read about someone who has choices, not the usual whining from busted arse pensioners.

[Caine]

On 7/8/2019 at 11:05 PM, bkk6060 said:

 

I might as well do it now since it is coming:

 

So, you want to spend your time at some overcrowded, smelly, filthy, dirty polluted beach and swim in the bacteria feces contaminated water.

Then, have a drink in the evening at an over priced bar with rude staff who will cheat you on the bill.  All the while, a bunch of drunk Falangs and obnoxious Thais around you making noise and spitting in your face!

And do not forget the Chinese.

Is that what you want?....

 

Sorry, could not resist. ????

 

I would check out Krabi area.

Good luck

You obviously know Thailand very well. Spot on. 

[Nemises]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 3:45 AM, ThomasThBKK said:

 - i prefer the gulf of Thailand over the Andaman sea any day.

why?

[Sandy Freckle]

On 7/10/2019 at 1:45 AM, ThomasThBKK said:

Check out Koh Chang, Koh Mak, Koh Kood area - i prefer the gulf of Thailand over the Andaman sea any day.

100% agree. The Northern or top end of the Andaman Sea and Gulf Of Bengal has some of the most polluted and populated rivers feeding into it every wet season...., and it all flushes south past all those tourist area's. The seemingly clean waters off Phuket are an absolute s###hole. 
SHHH..., keep schtum about it but Koh Kood is the ducks nuts !

[Stocky]

1 hour ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Gulf Of Bengal has some of the most polluted and populated rivers feeding into it

And the Gulf of Thailand is Bangkok's toilet - and a lot nearer than than the top end of the Bay of Bengal. At least the Andaman is open to the ocean currents and gets flushed by the Indian Ocean Gyre.

[Isakaty]

Prachuapkhirikhan is lovely,you should check it out !!!

 

[mikebike]

On 7/24/2019 at 4:58 AM, sunnyboy2018 said:

Avoid Phuket at all costs without doing serious reseach of descent beaches away from the tourist areas. The muslim south and scuba islands are worth researching,  koh Lippi etc. But you can NOT retire here as a beach bum. You will need to show proof of income to retire here.  If you cant speak Thai, and your Thai kids show no enthusiasm for Thailand....I would be concerned.  Make sure you control all your money alive or dead and the kids get nothing....make it clear to them. I dont think Thailand is for you.....but give it a try. You will last about a month before your dream evaporates...but travel should also be a learning situation...I am 65 and do NOT  aspire to be a 'bum'   or tramp or hobo. I might aspire to run a beach bar...but YOU cant in Thailand.  Just come here for a holiday. Cut off all financial Ties to your kids and withdraw all support. INVEST in yourself and your happiness.  If you cant speak Thai...be a beach bum in South America,  Africa,  Mexico,  USA or Europe....not Thailand....bums and poor tourists are not welcome here. Good luck.

I don't think you understand the colloquial use of "beach bum". Anyone who can afford to live in NYC can afford a southern Thai beach lifestyle.

 

Also, why do you think a farang cannot run a beach bar?

[mikebike]

On 7/29/2019 at 2:41 PM, oldcpu said:

retired in far south of Phuket

Cape Panwa is a world of its own. Traditionally Rawai/Naiharn are considered the far south of Phuket!! But that's ok... engineers aren't cartographers!!

[Skallywag]

Wife is grown, kids are grown, you are an adult.

 

You have free will, you can choose to live anywhere you please.

 

[Nemises]

And the Gulf of Thailand is Bangkok's toilet - and a lot nearer than than the top end of the Bay of Bengal. At least the Andaman is open to the ocean currents and gets flushed by the Indian Ocean Gyre.

Too true. In fact the Gulf of Thailand is ASIA’s toilet bowl (as opposed to Thailand’s toilet bowl) Has been for over 5,000 years. Good chance of getting sick if swimming anywhere in that contaminated Gulf sh*t pit.

An ocean flushed Andaman Sea any day thanks.

 

[Sandy Freckle]

The population in the coastal countries surrounding the Bay of Bengal and it's many monsoonal fooding river systems is 1/4 of the worlds population...., that's a lot of effluent and human detritus flowing down into the bay. It's well known that these are the most polluted waters on earth. The Andaman Sea(with it's many rivers) also is by extension very, very polluted.
The Gulf of Thailand in comparison has much fewer flowing rivers emptying into it..., also the population base around the Golf of Thailand is(also by contrast to that around The Bay of Bengal) much, much smaller. Hence my opinion that the Gulf waters are much less polluted than those waters flowing past the more touristed west coast . 
In the past I looked into buying into a place by the sea in LOS..., I thought it was evident back then that the place was changing and was becoming less welcoming to westerners wanting to stay longer. I decided to stay on the farm in(comparatively pristine) South Western Australia. I prefer to visit LOS for the 3 winter months of our Aussie winter.
As I've said previously..., I believe the area around Thailand's South Eastern corner are way less populated and way, way less touristed ! Win, win, win imho.    

[Number 6]

You might be too old but if you're a hardcore beach but like me camping in the Thai national marine parks is the only way to go. Trouble is many of best have closed and there are rumors of more. Parks are turning to daytrippers which ruin the water table but $$$ TiT. Mainland beaches suck ass. Nothing beats camping at waters edge.

[garyk]

You are going to bored out of your mind after the honeymoon period.

[ahddub]

On 8/14/2019 at 5:44 PM, garyk said:

You are going to bored out of your mind after the honeymoon period.

You're absolutely right!  I'm already getting bored just thinking about it.  Actually retiring is going to be traumatic, but at 68 and with the children fully grown and on their own, it's time to get back to the wife.  I guess all new Empty-Nesters go through the same trauma.  They say they'll visit, but that's what they all say.  At least with modern-day social media, they're only a text message away.  Still, we're gonna miss them.

[Yinn]

On 7/10/2019 at 12:45 AM, ThomasThBKK said:

Check out Koh Chang, Koh Mak, Koh Kood area - i prefer the gulf of Thailand over the Andaman sea any day.

Nakon si Thamarat is not on the Andaman Sea.

Impossible to go to Thungsong from Koh Chang, Mak or Kood within 2-3 hours. So he don’t want to go there. 

 

Maybe you should buy a map.

[jakestevernson]

 

Ahddub,

 

Thung Song is a great little town and has really developed since I first went there in 1999. However, it still has a lot of charm, with friendly locals so definitely worth staying there for part of the year.

 

For me I would consider Kanom, as it's not too far from Thung Song or for somewhere with more going on then Krabi.

 

Some the islands mentioned previously - Lipe, Kood, Chang, Mak, etc are really nice, but lack hospitals and some of the necessities for long term stay, especially as you get older.

 

Anyway, good luck and let us know what you decide and how you get on.

 

JS