He is glad he is back,wasnt the dream!

[rosst]

On 4/11/2020 at 7:37 PM, RJRS1301 said:

I wonder did he speak THai, that makes a huge difference to be able to communicate with the Thai population.

Easier to order food, buy goods, seek directions, go to cultural events, take cooking classes.

Also if no transport makes matters more difficult

 

It is possible he is not a traveller, just to go and live in Pattaya of all places, it sounds like that is all he saw and experienced. 

That is not Thailand, it is an artificial city built for a segment of the population. 

Traveling around Thailand and Cambodia and Laos may have been a better proposition. 

All the best to him for the future. 

He probably didn't enjoy the immigration experience either. 

[Max69xl]

On 4/11/2020 at 7:06 PM, kenk24 said:

I had a friend in my teen years and we used to talk about 'doing our dreams' - - I did not see him again until later in life and asked if he had been doing his dreams... 

 

he told me that he was surprised how many of his dreams were nightmares...

 

ps - 21 sq m. !! That doesn't sound like it would be anyone's dream and if he did it because he was hsort on cash, well, a place like pattaya would surely be frustrating if you didn't have much bread.. 

There are loads of condos in Pattaya/Jomtien bigger than 21sqm with reasonable prices. Who would chose a shoebox when moving to Thailand permanently? 

[Mavideol]

On 4/11/2020 at 6:08 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Im under lockdown here in Australia,cant wait to get back to Thailand,cant wait till another 8 years to retire there .

are you still coming even after your friend told you his bad experiences ?? just trying to make sense of your post

[Tony125]

Your friend should have known about the heat and it's one of the reasons I moved from Northeast Coast USA to Thailand. Don't know why he rented a 21 sq meter condo ,could have gotten bigger one to live in ,even bigger long term hotel rentals. Most Thai only have small condo like that because they live in Bangkok or elsewhere and just use small condo in Pattaya  for weekend break not to live full time in.

Besides bars he could have joined the Expats Club in Pattaya  to meet new friends  or Internations Bangkok that have members from all over the world that have meetings and get togethers for all kinds of things.

Seems like your frind is like some peope I know that are afraid to retire because they don't know what they will do when not working. Don't have a life outside of their job. Don't know what to do with all that extra time. I live in 3 bedroom home in Pattaya but also condo's in other areas and stay in each as I feel like. Visit gyms, ride bikes in Bkk, Pattaya, Rayong and have not been bored. He could have even taken short trips to Bkk and other areas to see rock groups, sports events ect

Edited April 13, 2020 by Tony125

[transam]

Perhaps your chum is a Quasimodo look-a-like with a room just big enough for a king size bed and it didn't work out as expected....????

[transam]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Retiring anywhere and then doing virtually nothing won't be fun

Depends on the individual, I would have thought...????

[transam]

1 hour ago, murraynz said:

Those sorts of people should never come here in the first place.nowonder immigration is insisting on 100k us insurance.

People with no money in retirement,never get my sympathy.

But you get mine........????

[wolf81]

On 4/11/2020 at 6:58 PM, bartender100 said:

I think the dream is often, sell everything in my home country, I don't need much, a small condo and bed etc.

 

But after 6 months going stir crazy from living in a box room, possibly a girl has cleaned you out financially, or to much heavy drinking to cut the boredom and as mentioned no Thai spoken, no real friends, noisy neighbours.............

Too each his own of course.

 

But I do know from myself I don't need much. I lived most of my life in The Netherlands and the last 15 years or so I lived there I pretty much lived in an appartement with a bed, desk and simple living room. And it was perfectly fine for me, except for the cold and darkness in winter.

 

Now I have a Thai girlfriend and we live in a house upcountry, but I do feel my girlfriend tends to buy a lot of unnecessary /<deleted>/ with lack of a better word. If we'd ever separate, I'd definitely move to a city like Pattaya and buy a nice simple beachfront condo (2 bedroom, so I can use 1 of the rooms as office for work). And I'd be perfectly happy like that. Of course I tend to not be bored, as long as I can do so work or if I can play some computer games and such. As an introvert, I don't need much human contact. A little bit is enough for me. 

 

People should have a decent understanding of their needs and wants before emigrating to another country. 

[metempsychotic]

Its seems your freind didnt understand that if he was dull in sydney he was going to suddenly become interesting somewhere else.

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

Its seems your freind didnt understand that if he was dull in sydney he was going to suddenly become interesting somewhere else.

I settled for still being a fat dull old alcoholic but with an attractive young woman in my bed.

Can't see any reason to become interesting.

 

There's a lot of people who can't get the hang of Thailand.

Edited April 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[Stevemercer]

Retirement is a huge life change. I think you need some planning and adjustment to your way of thinking and life style.

 

Just moving to Thailand isn't going to cut it. You are moving to a different culture, plus adjusting to retirement and the drop in income.

 

For myself, I like being outdoors and knew I would need a stand alone house and a bit of land to keep me busy upon retirement in Thailand. It's not like Australia where you can enjoy the local parks, beaches or even just walking around the neighbourhood.

 

If I ever move back to Australia I might be able to live in a condo because I know I can spend plenty of time outdoors anyway (swimming, fishing, camping etc). 

[VBF]

2 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

Its seems your freind didnt understand that if he was dull in sydney he was going to suddenly become interesting somewhere else.

Wherever you go.........there you are. Think about it. ????

 

This is a very individualistic thing though, here in UK on lockdown, I'm not going stir-crazy....yet.

But I do have a 2-bed flat, one of which is my study and lots of interests to occupy my mind.

Learning some new recipes, going to dust off the harmonica I bought 10 years ago on which to learn, books to read, music to listen to.

Can't presently see friends or go to many places so it's far from ideal but so far, so acceptable.

 

BUT....... I can be happy on my own anyway and if you're not that sort of person, there are a lot of challenges especially if you move to a new environment and don't know many people.

[Fairynuff]

5 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

If you aren't popular at home, Thailand won't make you popular either 

Friends are ten a penny when you’re buying the drinks, and you can buy yourself a whole family for the price of a house

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I settled for still being a fat dull old alcoholic but with an attractive young woman in my bed.

Can't see any reason to become interesting.

 

There's a lot of people who can't get the hang of Thailand.

 Not everyone’s Thailand is the same.

[VBF]

2 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

 Not everyone’s Thailand is the same.

Excellent observation! +1  

Edited April 13, 2020 by VBF

[Fairynuff]

26 minutes ago, VBF said:

Wherever you go.........there you are. Think about it. ????

You’re pretty sharp yourself with such profound statements.

[kingdong]

On 4/12/2020 at 6:11 AM, marko kok prong said:

Don't understand why people live in condo's in Patts or Phuket,okay i live up country,Wichianburi,Phetchabun province,my house is on a rai of land,and i think is 220sq metres,,3 bedroom main with en suite ,pool,screened rear patio overlooking pool,fully ac,even my shed,landscaped gardens ,all up with everything maybe 5-6 million baht.Now i am not saying everyone can afford that,but if your mate sold a 2 bed flat in Sydney,surely he could afford more than a 21sq metre condo. Of course he got bored,did he drink? Not much chance of making mates in Patts if you don't and he complained about the heat surely he had ac,anyway Patts not hot,one drawback to living here,it is scorching from late feb until June,even then it rarely dips below 35c did he have a regular gf,that can make a difference,mind you not always for the best,sounds like he was somewhat of a round peg in a square hole. Op maybe think of this,before i lived here i had visited many times ,in 2012 i met a girl from up this way in Phuket,i had to return to Aussie for some months to wait for an insurance payout for a work injury,i came back and said to myself,okay i will try it for 3 months then decide if i would make the move permanent,all was good so i did,8 years later,2 wives and countless gf,i finally feel really settled,i love my houses have a good gf,many expats in the area and it is much cheaper here than Pattaya or Phuket,Australia forget it,i would be a pauper back there,anyway sorry for your mate better luck for you.

 "My house"? Can a farang own a house in the los now?

[kingdong]

7 hours ago, transam said:

Perhaps your chum is a Quasimodo look-a-like with a room just big enough for a king size bed and it didn't work out as expected....????

Well he obviously got the hump with thailand.

[faraday]

4 hours ago, VBF said:

Wherever you go.........there you are. Think about it.

Unless you're somewhere else.

 

*Wry laugh emoji*

[VBF]

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

Unless you're somewhere else.

 

*Wry laugh emoji*

In the immortal words of "Eccles" aka Spike Milligan "Everybody's gotta be somewhere"

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288600/characters/nm0589711

Edited April 13, 2020 by VBF

[DefaultName]

Sounds like I was in a similar position, but I've always been happy in my own company, I like people, but I don't really NEED them.  TV, books internet and I'm good for a few days.

 

I pay a bit more rent for a high floor condo that I enjoy being in, I figured that if the extra rent gives me a place that I can be happy in for 1 more night a week, it'd pay for itself.

 

I burnt my bridges though, my finances wouldn't go far in the UK.

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, DefaultName said:

I burnt my bridges though, my finances wouldn't go far in the UK.

Me too,

Although it was my former Brit wife whom burnt my bridges, with no assistance from me.

Edited April 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[bwpage3]

On 4/11/2020 at 7:26 AM, timendres said:

I think for many folks, especially those who have a solid life set up back home, and have reasonable flights into Thailand, a "best of both worlds" approach is better. Continue life at home, but spend several months in Thailand enjoying what it has to offer.

If you are going to double dip, there are tons of other countries out their better than Thailand.

 

What is the attraction of Thailand if you are not seeking cheap women, cheap accommodations and cheap street food?

 

What does Thailand offer beside air pollution, massive traffic, trash piled all over the place, beaches with tons of plastics, etc.

 

Living in Thailand for 10+ years I can see no need to spend ANY time in Thailand at all these days.

 

Double dipping in the Happy Island, Aruba!

 

 

[ourdon]

Hi Georgegeorgia,  I think your friend became completely enamoured with his own personal vision of what Thailand would be.  He let it blind him to the reality of what Thailand is.  I wish him well.

 

I think most of us have done that in some form or another.  Usually the teeth marks on your butt are an indication that you might have it wrong.

 

I have learned over the years that the grass may or may not be greener on the other side ... but it's still freaking grass

Edited April 13, 2020 by ourdon

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

What is the attraction of Thailand if you are not seeking cheap women, cheap accommodations and cheap street food?

The women aren't that cheap any more.

[Ron jeremy]

23 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

If you are going to double dip, there are tons of other countries out their better than Thailand.

 

What is the attraction of Thailand if you are not seeking cheap women, cheap accommodations and cheap street food?

 

What does Thailand offer beside air pollution, massive traffic, trash piled all over the place, beaches with tons of plastics, etc.

 

Living in Thailand for 10+ years I can see no need to spend ANY time in Thailand at all these days.

 

Double dipping in the Happy Island, Aruba!

 

 

Sao the guy didn't like it, at least he didn't sell up and can actually go home, not stuck here like most people. He gave it a go , the bright lights wore dim, away he went, good for him.

you can only sit beside drunks and whores for so long, some people are above this, worked hard all their lives to retire down 2-3 levels.

u can only visit temples, sanctuary of truth etc etc so many times. 

As previously stated, if it ain't for the booze and whores, not much use in living in pattaya. Sounds like he has a real life back home, good on him.

[brokenbone]

well, what was his objective with moving here ?

for me it was warmer and cheaper, and in that order,

and i met my objective, at least until it went to the point

when i was spending 2k daily on gogo bars, at which point

one of my objectives kinda dissolved.

still warm here thank goodness, i dont want cold again

[timendres]

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

If you are going to double dip, there are tons of other countries out their better than Thailand.

 

What is the attraction of Thailand if you are not seeking cheap women, cheap accommodations and cheap street food?

 

What does Thailand offer beside air pollution, massive traffic, trash piled all over the place, beaches with tons of plastics, etc.

 

Living in Thailand for 10+ years I can see no need to spend ANY time in Thailand at all these days.

 

Double dipping in the Happy Island, Aruba!

I actually like it here. For many reasons, none of which you mention.

[bwpage3]

16 minutes ago, timendres said:

I actually like it here. For many reasons, none of which you mention.

What are the reasons?

[talahtnut]

On 4/11/2020 at 6:08 PM, georgegeorgia said:

He got bored,sitting often in his 21sqm Pattaya flat ,the constant heat, the boredom, the friends he missed in Australia, the outings in Sydney he missed etc

I don't understand why he didn't get out more,

Patters is one of the easiest places to make a

few friends, or mates as they say in Oz. He could

have tried a few different condos. Plenty of Ozzies

here, great mates, there is no good reason to get

bored in Thailand. Having said that, I cant stay

here more than 4 months, cos I miss Old Blighty

in the summer months.