7 years in Thailand

[cmarshall]

4 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

Listen to your heart ... home is where the heart is .

If you are old , starting new once again in an expensive and cold country does not sound very tempting ...

If you like your life here , stay here .

Somehow , you will find a way to overcome your financial problems . There are a lot of possibilities to make some money by selling something online ...?

The times are tough now , but , at least . there is less ' covid madness ' in Thailand ...

 

Truly the worst possible advice with all the depth of a Hallmark card.

 

The OP should carefully analyze the pros and cons of life in each location.  He should consider worst case scenarios as the couple ages, also.  It's fine to take into account feelings and preferences of both members of the couple, but feelings and preferences do not override the hard realities of limited resources.  

 

As an American I think Canada has it all over the US.  The health care is a huge plus.  The Canadians themselves are like Americans, except they're not nuts.  I hope I never have to live in the US again, but I would certainly consider Canada.  Some people wouldn't like the weather.

[Dart12]

5 hours ago, sanbyran said:

  my girl is making  everyday 1k-4k  per day from dropshipping women's clothes.   the facebook ad are very low .  trust me it is worth giving it a shot . 

where is she selling to?  what country? 

[Caldera]

Seriously, sleepless nights over this? May I suggest that your problem isn't your location, but your attitude to life - you seem to take it way to seriously!

 

If you like being in Thailand, just stay. No need to overthink it.

[Thingamabob]

13 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Thailand is no place to get old

canada has clean air and free health care 

 

I am 79, lived here in Thailand for nearly 40 years. It's warm, healthcare is excellent, and the elderly are well treated. No place to get old ? You must be joking.

[Dexxter]

5 hours ago, Ventenio said:

I vote HOME.  That's Canada.  It's a good feeling to be back on HOME soil.  Thailand will never be your home, and your wife deserves to experience Canada.  Set her up there.  

 

I agree with this. I have lived part time in Bangkok for almost 6 years and never felt at home there. I always felt like a "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Robert A. Heinlein) and after 4-5 months in Thailand always looking forward to going HOME again. After a few months at home I started getting the urge to go back to Thailand for another extended VACATION. It never felt like home. I always felt like an outsider on shaky ground. The only reason I kept going back was to be with my partner but now the plan is to bring her back HOME to Australia and live our lives here once this covid madness settles down. Thailand no longer has anything I want.

[samtab]

23 hours ago, Pravda said:

I really didn't come here for the girls

i stopped reading after the first lie.

 

[thomago]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably leave. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. 

. . . I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

=========================================================

@spidermike007:

 

I read your post with delight since I mostly feel the same way.  Except for your dislike of the government and immigration here, your post -- to me -- read like a well-written and justified  "Declaration of Love" for Thailand.

 

Therefore, I was very surprised to read that you would probably leave if you had unlimited finances. Can you truly think of any country where you would feel happier when compared to Thailand?

 

[sirocco]

A secret,  DEXXTER, I felt like a stranger in my own country.
There were more and more foreigners and not the best.
Real leeches, and insulting.
So my decision was simple: go live in a foreign country, at least today I am a foreigner in another country than mine.

[Pravda]

31 minutes ago, samtab said:

i stopped reading after the first lie.

 

 

Thanks for the announcement. 

 

Unsubscibing? 

[Lacessit]

Having the benefit of comparison, I am now not sure of the validity of the horror stories about how expensive Thai hospitals are. Maybe for prolonged stays and complex surgery.

I was traveling back to Australia once every six months for a check cystoscopy, and to stock up on prescriptions.

I was lucky enough to get back into Thailand in February, about two weeks before everything shut down.

Since then, I have had a check cystoscopy at Bangkok Hospital, a manual prostate check at Overbrook Hospital in Chiang Rai, and two barnacles removed at a skin clinic.

My treatment in Australia is free, thanks to very good private health cover. However, when I compare the cost of the treatments I have had here, with the pre-COVID cost of return flights and accommodation, I am way ahead. About half the cost.

I  pay more here for a couple of medications than I would in Australia, less for others. I have enough cash in Australia for any serious illness, although if it's something like a hip operation I would most likely say the hell with it, and live on painkillers.

Although I am suspicious of Thai doctors who tend to throw fistfuls of pills at any problem, my recent experiences with them have been favorable. You get what you pay for.

Sheryl is an excellent resource on TV for advice on medical issues, and my Thai GF and her family are my support group here. I seriously doubt I would do much better in Australia, and would probably be climbing the walls with the restrictions in force there.

[connda]

On 10/27/2020 at 2:16 PM, Pravda said:

Except I can't bring myself to leave. 

Well, then it's settled. 

[CanadaSam]

OP, after reading all the posts here, I think you can summarize the best advice as follows:

 

1-  Go back home to activate your CPP and Pension, it can not be done from abroad easily.  The money can be routed to you in Thailand, and is worth much more here.

 

2-  When you go home, sell your property, and take your share (if you have any family to distribute to) and invest here in Thailand on some property.  Even a shack in a Canadian city will buy you a palace here.

 

3-  Get medical insurance here, one poster mentioned a really nice one at 6000 baht that continues till 99 years of age!

 

Basically, stay where you are happy, just transfer your assets over, to ensure not only a happy, but also financially comfortable retirement till you leave this world.

[nobodysfriend]

3 hours ago, cmarshall said:

 

Truly the worst possible advice with all the depth of a Hallmark card.

 

The OP should carefully analyze the pros and cons of life in each location.  He should consider worst case scenarios as the couple ages, also.  It's fine to take into account feelings and preferences of both members of the couple, but feelings and preferences do not override the hard realities of limited resources.  

 

As an American I think Canada has it all over the US.  The health care is a huge plus.  The Canadians themselves are like Americans, except they're not nuts.  I hope I never have to live in the US again, but I would certainly consider Canada.  Some people wouldn't like the weather.

 

[Banana7]

To get PR in Canada for your wife can take at least 6 months. I have had friends wait a year to get their wife to Canada.

 

Your relationship with your wife may change for the worse when she gets to Canada. Some of the significant issues are:

1. Food. It's practically impossible to replicate genuine authentic Thai food in Canada, at a reasonable price. Many spices are not available. Fresh fruit and vegetables taste different, even with popular things like bananas. Does she love western food?

2. Weather. The radically different seasons can test her. Even in southwestern Ontario winter temperatures can drop to -35c. You can't change the weather. Many Thai have come to Canada and left because of the brutal long winters.

3. If she is very attractive, young men maybe attracted to her, and she may prefer them instead of you. If she works, her work mates, may ostracize her for being with you.

4. Once she arrives in Canada, she may not want to leave. In that case, you'll have to stay there through the brutal winters. Winter in Thailand is the place to be for old people.

 

 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, thomago said:

@spidermike007:

 

I read your post with delight since I mostly feel the same way.  Except for your dislike of the government and immigration here, your post -- to me -- read like a well-written and justified  "Declaration of Love" for Thailand.

 

Therefore, I was very surprised to read that you would probably leave if you had unlimited finances. Can you truly think of any country where you would feel happier when compared to Thailand?

 

Very difficult to say. If I had the finances, would probably spend four or five months of the year based in Spain or Portugal. Good weather, wine, culture, music, art, dance, and great access to the rest of Europe. 

 

Then, perhaps three or four months here. A month traveling in the US, and the rest of the time traveling around Asia and Europe. 

 

I do love it here. But, from mid February to about mid June the climate is brutal. And seems to be getting muggier every year. Good time of year to be away, and pleasant weather in Spain or Portugal. 

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Thailand is no place to get old

canada has clean air and free health care 

 

but it's very cold. I like the heat in LOS.

I only left LOS because I ran out of money and can't get the pension there.

Had I been able to get the pension there I'd never have left till I went up the chimney.

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

My plan was always to retire to Thailand, stay here for 10 years (age 55 - 65) and then decide whether to stay here or go back to Australia. I'm 60 now.

 

If I move back to Australia, I want to do so while I am still relatively healthy and mobile. My Thai wife is ex-government so I have free health care while in Thailand. That certainly helps a lot.

 

Money will be a critical factor when it comes to making the decision. By age 65, I'll be getting close to the financial threshold of whether I can actually afford to start again in Australia (assuming we can't sell our property here in Thailand). My wife is a Thai and Australian citizen, which helps. 

 

I'm not sure, but I've got a few more years before I have to decide one way or another. Maybe something will happen that will take the decision out of my hands!

 

Like perhaps much needed progress and noble and competent leadership? I know it is a strange, bizarre and very remote concept here. Hopefully the youth will overcome, and get rid of the super corrupt, deadbeat dinosaurs. 

Edited October 28, 2020 by spidermike007

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, teacherclaire said:

I can't cook, I don't know how to iron my clothes,

If you can use a microwave you are set to go.

 

I've not ironed my clothes as long as I can remember- hang them up right way after washing and they don't need ironing.

 

[TKDfella]

Yes Pravda, I understand what how you feel. However, at present I don't have a money problem and so I want to stay. But that could change at any time and in my late 70's there would be some tough decisions to be made. Good luck to you, I do hope it works out well for you and your wife.

[thomago]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Very difficult to say. If I had the finances, would probably spend four or five months of the year based in Spain or Portugal. Good weather, wine, culture, music, art, dance, and great access to the rest of Europe. 

 

Then, perhaps three or four months here. A month traveling in the US, and the rest of the time traveling around Asia and Europe. 

 

I do love it here. But, from mid February to about mid June the climate is brutal. And seems to be getting muggier every year. Good time of year to be away, and pleasant weather in Spain or Portugal. 

 

Thanks for clarifying spidermike007. Appreciate it.

 

It's obvious that you love Thailand for the reasons stated in your original reply. That makes two of us. With sufficient finances, you would simply expand your scope of travel for personal reasons rather than leaving Thailand permanently. Sounds very sensible to me.

 

BTW, I always enjoy reading your comments because they are mostly thoughtful, fair and balanced rather than a one-sided and biased Thai-bashing. Thanks!

[Pravda]

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

1. Food. It's practically impossible to replicate genuine authentic Thai food in Canada, at a reasonable price. Many spices are not available. Fresh fruit and vegetables taste different, even with popular things like bananas. Does she love western food?

 

All right lets do this. 

 

She is westernized and Chinese. Food will not be an issue. 

 

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

2. Weather. The radically different seasons can test her. Even in southwestern Ontario winter temperatures can drop to -35c. You can't change the weather. Many Thai have come to Canada and left because of the brutal long winters.

 

Yes. One of my concerns. The funniest thing is she compares Canada to Australia where her sisters live and she assures me she knows cold weather because she experienced - 1 temperature in Canberra. She has trouble getting up at 7am for her job, but she assures me she will wake up at 5 in the morning to work at Walmart. Right. 

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

3. If she is very attractive, young men maybe attracted to her, and she may prefer them instead of you. If she works, her work mates, may ostracize her for being with you.

No. She is ugly Chinese in her 40's, but in Canada she'd be considered very attractive with her slim figure and bitch face. Lets not forget the sausage fest that is Canada with carer oriented men my age who had it but don't have the courage to leave the country. Yep. It's a concern. 

 

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

4. Once she arrives in Canada, she may not want to leave. In that case, you'll have to stay there through the brutal winters. Winter in Thailand is the place to be for old people.

 

I think it's a given that she will stay in Canada. Her job here is very good, but once she leaves there will be ni more opportunities for women her age in Thailand. 

[Banana7]

2 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

All right lets do this. 

 

She is westernized and Chinese. Food will not be an issue. 

 

 

Yes. One of my concerns. The funniest thing is she compares Canada to Australia where her sisters live and she assures me she knows cold weather because she experienced - 1 temperature in Canberra. She has trouble getting up at 7am for her job, but she assures me she will wake up at 5 in the morning to work at Walmart. Right. 

No. She is ugly Chinese in her 40's, but in Canada she'd be considered very attractive with her slim figure and bitch face. Lets not forget the sausage fest that is Canada with carer oriented men my age who had it but don't have the courage to leave the country. Yep. It's a concern. 

 

 

I think it's a given that she will stay in Canada. Her job here is very good, but once she leaves there will be ni more opportunities for women her age in Thailand. 

One guy took his wife to Canada. She had a good job and was making good money in the country of her birth. She couldn't get a decent job in Canada. Just over 2 years in Canada, she wanted a divorce. Case went to court. Judge decide husband must pay her big money because he took her out of her country, therefore responsible for loosing her great job and income. She had new boyfriend well before the case settled.

 

Since you are married, after spending one night in your Canadian house with your wife, it will be deemed the martial home. She will be entitled to 50% of its value upon separation. 

 

Are you willing to stay with her in Canada, including winters? I guess you'll want to work Canada. Are you qualified for a high demand profession, going make some good cash?

 

Most Thai want to leave Canada after the second winter. First winter is a novelty, 2nd is reality and realization that it is no longer fun, new nor enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChakaKhan]

17 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

It's a new thing. The first branch they opened was at Canadian embassy. Now they have it at Samyan Mitrtown (fanciest one). Sacon mall (strange location) and other I never been to. Latte is satisfying. Ice cap is different. Donuts are different. As with every chain in Thailand it is not directly owned by original company.

 

There is an article about in English back in January from the site we are not allowed to link.

If you wear a Red Wings shirt and say you are Gordie Howe, will they give you free timbits?

[ChakaKhan]

17 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Correct, we all stay young here - at least in our heart.

The tattoo just ruins it for me..take a work of art and "tag" it.....is grandpa catching a nap in the back there??

Wonder what the monk was thinking that tied that string to her wrist?......

[Bangkokazy]

19 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wouldn't want to go back "home".

Just the weather in reason enough.

But obviously one has to live and the money has to come from somewhere...

 

Hehehe not so much better there

[axactb]

I have been considering moving to Thailand for 2 years now ! this topic helped me alot

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Bangkokazy said:

Hehehe not so much better there

Floods are avoidable if living on a hill. - 30 C temperatures are not.

[BritManToo]

10 hours ago, Pravda said:

I think it's a given that she will stay in Canada. Her job here is very good, but once she leaves there will be ni more opportunities for women her age in Thailand. 

True,

She will have many more opportunities for a younger, wealthier husband with a bigger house.

Along with keeping half of everything you own.

[Sydebolle]

You cant have your cake and eat it. In your case I would return to Canada and things dont look too rosy here for the foreseeable future - in all aspects! 

[Pravda]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

True,

She will have many more opportunities for a younger, wealthier husband with a bigger house.

Along with keeping half of everything you own.

 

Meh.... There are so many ways to avoid this if one is insecure in a relationship. I could just sell my current place and buy one 8n my mom's name. But she's not that type of gal as she already helps me big time already. 

 

Solved.