Moving to Thailand from the UK.

[sotonowl]

Well, I've been giving this careful consideration over the last couple of years. I'm married to a Thai women (10/11 years now) and I'm 64 years old. I own my own house in Hampshire and whilst not rich I do have enough funds to see me through for the rest of my life. My pension is due to start being paid in 2021 and at the moment I'm just doing a couple of part time jobs which stops me dipping into my savings.

So the plus points for us would be to,

a) Live close to my wifes family

b) I honestly can't think of anything.

The negative,

a) Snakes, makes me shudder.

b) Mosquitos and the disease they spread which is due to get considerably worse by all accounts, Dengue and Malaria.

c) Living in a country where they seem hell bent on making you leave.

d) The curious case of the strong Baht, which will eventually lead to some people speeding a considerable amount of tears.  

e) The climate, usually 32 deg which could be acceptable for 3 months, Nov to Feb say but then it would be unbearable for me one way or the other.

f) Visas and the constant hassle trying to stay legal. This would include the problems of having to continuously provide evidence of funds.

g) The uncertainty of the ever changing political sands in the Kingdom of Thailand. You may have a visa today, but tomorrow, the rules may change and you could become an unwanted alien.

I think we'll stay in the UK, we're off to the Cotswold for a week soon and then we're going to the Yorkshire Dales, it isn't Thailand, but it will do us.

 

[GinBoy2]

So a couple of observations.

 

It sounds like you've already made your decision, so are you in some way trying to justify to your wife why moving is a bad thing?

 

The guys that get themselves into trouble are usually those that after a couple of vacations, meeting some hottie, decide in their 50's or 60's to sell up and go all in and move lock stock and barrel to Thailand. That generally tends to end very badly.

 

You're not in that category, so you have choices.

 

You are correct in the uncertainty of your existence in Thailand, things could change overnight, who knows. A lot of guys delude themselves that they are 'immigrants'. The name of your visa 'Non-Imm' should give you a clue, in so much that you are at best long stay tourists.

 

You sound pretty settled in the UK, is your wife a UK citizen yet?

 

Why not hedge your bets. Depending on your finances, buy, or rent yourself a snowbird vacation home close to her family, then spend a few months in the winter over in Thailand, then return to reality in the spring.

 

There are so many personal variables in these decisions, it's always hard to say whats best. 

 

Read enough threads debating the relative cost of living in Thailand and it's all over the shop, but if like me you want to live a western lifestyle, then the cost advantage becomes in my experience very marginal.

 

I don't regret any of the decade I lived in Thailand, but by the end it certainly wasn't the low cost paradise it was when I arrived.

 

Now me and my wife are very happy back in the US, with our 3 month winter vacation back to our house in Thailand

[sotonowl]

Yes mate, my missus is now a UK citizen, she has been for around 8 years now. Quite a good day out that was, she swore allegiance to the flag and the queen and then we went and had an Indian lunch, LOL. True though.

I've nothing holding me back in the UK now, kids have disowned me, long story short, I moved away and ex wifes influence put paid to me so to speak.

I keep wanting to go to Thailand for a holiday but the fact of the matter is wifey won't have it, she just doesn't want to go.

Cotswolds is lovely though so I'll just have to live with that for the time being. I'm working on her though and I hope to get to Thailand in 2020, November time. She is from a town just outside Korat and has a couple of sisters there. We went over around 3 years ago and took one of the sisters and the brother in law to Hanoi, the BIL is a diamond and he wants to take me to Laos as I think he originates from the border area.

I'd go and live in Thailand tomorrow, but why would you? Too many risks and when you get older you don't need to be looking over your shoulder do you.

[Puchaiyank]

I'm sorry, what was the question?  ????

[simon43]

My comments are your post:

 

So the plus points for us would be to,

a) Live close to my wifes family

This could turn out to be the biggest negative!

 

The negative,

a) Snakes, makes me shudder.

Snakes are generally shy creatures and want to avoid humans. Walk heavily in the grass (ie make vibrations - snakes can't hear), and they'll be long gone.

 

b) Mosquitos and the disease they spread which is due to get considerably worse by all accounts, Dengue and Malaria.

Expats seem to get dengue more than malaria.  I've had dengue, definitely not nice.

 

c) Living in a country where they seem hell bent on making you leave.

'They' should refer only to some people in the government/immigration.

 

d) The curious case of the strong Baht, which will eventually lead to some people speeding a considerable amount of tears.  

That's a growing problem if your income is not generated within Thailand as Thai baht.

 

e) The climate, usually 32 deg which could be acceptable for 3 months, Nov to Feb say but then it would be unbearable for me one way or the other.

32 is nothing compared to recent heatwaves (well, you'll know about this from the UK weather last week).  Add in high humidity and it's not nice.

 

f) Visas and the constant hassle trying to stay legal. This would include the problems of having to continuously provide evidence of funds.

If you drop 800,000 baht in the bank and leave it there, then that minimises these hassles.  But everything can change in the future.

 

g) The uncertainty of the ever changing political sands in the Kingdom of Thailand. You may have a visa today, but tomorrow, the rules may change and you could become an unwanted alien.

Exactly!  I'm relocating to another country in 2 weeks from now, after 18 years in Thailand.

[CharlieH]

So just a general Thai bash/rant then, and your title is incorrect as the last line clearly states you are not going anywhere !

 

Troll topic.

 

CLOSED.