Why do you live in Thailand?

[shoupy]

Just now, shoupy said:

 

The Thermae was a great place.  Like picking out a puppy dog and the juke box was only a nickel.

[covidiot]

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Edited May 17, 2021 by covidiot

[thrilled]

I tried it for 4 months around 5 months ago. A month or 2 at a time works for me, I miss all the benefits that home has. 

[gearbox]

2 hours ago, Nemises said:

Don’t drink cocktails and not sure how much is a short time. But do know Thai massages in reputable, air conditioned shops cost as little as 100 baht an hour (that’s about 15 times cheaper than the cost in Australia!!)
 

 

 

 

 

Here are some short time prices in Sydney:

 

https://www.lapetitearoma.com.au/#pricing

 

$200 for 1/2 hour, $20 cheaper before 7pm.

 

So weekly entertainment expenses could be:

 

2 x short time - $320

2 Thai massages $65 each - $130

4 x cocktails x 17 - $72

 

Total: $522

Australian old age pension for a single person: around $500 per week.

 

One can cut on short times and hook up a grandma, but I don't see many  foreigners here with grandmas,  so can't compare apples with oranges.

[Hanuman2547]

I don't.  I split my time between my home country and Thailand.  I used to live and work in Thailand full time for many years.  Now I tend to spend about 4-5 months a year in LOS.  Well, except for this past year due to Covid I just stayed in my home country.  

[shy coconut]

On 5/16/2021 at 2:47 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

My work is here.   There's only a tiny market for TEFL work back home.

 Funny enough my ex wife is a TEFL assistant in London and pretty much every 

 School in multi cultural cities have language assistance staff!

[Nemises]

7 hours ago, gearbox said:

 

 

Here are some short time prices in Sydney:

 

https://www.lapetitearoma.com.au/#pricing

 

$200 for 1/2 hour, $20 cheaper before 7pm.

 

So weekly entertainment expenses could be:

 

2 x short time - $320

2 Thai massages $65 each - $130

4 x cocktails x 17 - $72

 

Total: $522

Australian old age pension for a single person: around $500 per week.

 

One can cut on short times and hook up a grandma, but I don't see many  foreigners here with grandmas,  so can't compare apples with oranges.

Brilliant! Great post ????

 

Don’t forget the council heated swimming pool/spa/sauna costs! (heat obviously needed outside of the 3 summer months)
 

5 visits per week. 

 

5 x 18 - $90

 

Your total: $522

Add pool:  $90

 

New total: $612

Aus OAP for single: approx $500

 

Speaking of trying to stay warm in SYD/MEL etc during non-summer months, we next need to look at Australia’s exorbitant electricity tariffs!! (I think, close to, the most expensive in the world)
 

And after that, their ridiculous internet data costs and the lousy download limits. 

Yep, those single, male, Aussie pensioners sure are living the dream????

 

 

 

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

19 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I would base myself in the UK and travel extensively.  But as it is, unless Mrs P agrees, which she may well do at some point, we are here, temporarily.  

Where would be your pick for best cheap asian country for a single male in 50s with open options?

[brewsterbudgen]

8 hours ago, shy coconut said:

 Funny enough my ex wife is a TEFL assistant in London and pretty much every 

 School in multi cultural cities have language assistance staff!

Yes, there's work doing that and also with asylum seekers.  My specialism is IELTS/EAP though, and rates for both teaching and examining are higher in Thailand and (pre-Covid) there's a lot more work here.  I don't think I could support my family doing this in the UK, but I can (just about!) doing it here.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Where would be your pick for best cheap asian country for a single male in 50s with open options?

That's a difficult one to answer, as it depends on the persons objectives in coming to Asia and how much 'wealth' that person has.  Thailand would certainly be high on that list, despite its frustrations, possibly followed by the Philippines, all post covid of course. Personally, I would avoid recommending Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam, but that is just a personal view. If money was no object then definitely Singapore or Taiwan, but they do not meet your 'cheap' criteria. 

[ravip]

If anyone migrates to another country purely for financial reasons (new place been cheaper) I guess failure is imminent- chance of success is very remote. 

At an advanced age, it will be worse. 

IMHO

[Kanada]

2 hours ago, ravip said:

If anyone migrates to another country purely for financial reasons (new place been cheaper) I guess failure is imminent- chance of success is very remote. 

At an advanced age, it will be worse. 

IMHO

Agree 100%....switching continents takes a lot of thought and planning  and a little inside help too I think!

Just to jump over here because it’s cheap enough for you to pretend you’re a prince will end badly!

You have to learn “a whole new way of life” or you’ll just end up fighting the same uphill battle others seem to be fighting every day!

They hate everything and everyone because they still think they’re in Kansas????

[EVENKEEL]

So not far from Pattaya (40 min) saw a condo for rent on FB, 6000bht/ mo  45sq M  Condo for rent with beach view, like walk out of condo onto the sand, nice pool, water and elec rate good. For anyone on a limited retirement fund this is awesome. If I was single that's where I would be or perhaps in Jomtein beach as I'm sure similiar is available, except for the proximity to the sea.

[BritManToo]

21 minutes ago, Kanada said:

Agree 100%....switching continents takes a lot of thought and planning  and a little inside help too I think!

Just to jump over here because it’s cheap enough for you to pretend you’re a prince will end badly!

You have to learn “a whole new way of life” or you’ll just end up fighting the same uphill battle others seem to be fighting every day!

They hate everything and everyone because they still think they’re in Kansas????

I disagree 100%,

All I need to be happy is a roof over my head, a supply of beer and cannabis, along with a fast internet connection and a 65" tv. I've never interacted with locals in any country, apart from simple commerce.

Edited May 18, 2021 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Where would be your pick for best cheap asian country for a single male in 50s with open options?

No way of telling at the moment due to COVID.

Suvannahket was amazing, as was Phnom Pehn.

Saigon and Vung Tau (beach) were great party destinations.

Angeles City and Barretto (beach) were fantastic monger destinations.

 

A better question is why not Thailand?

Because that's an easy one to answer, 800k in the bank and a government that hates us dirty farang.

Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines seem to be quite happy to have us spending our low levels of money there. You never see their government only wanting the seriously wealthy to go there.

 

I was once sitting in front of a bar in the Philippines with some pals, when the police chased and stopped a white guy driving a car. One of the police came over to us and apologised for arresting the foreigner and explained the guy was so drunk he couldn't drive in a straight line (he could hardly stand up). Can you imagine the police in Thailand doing that, or would they try and arrest us shouting , "You party, you party"

 

Too many choices, and too little time left.

Barretto beach.

Edited May 18, 2021 by BritManToo

[ravip]

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No way of telling at the moment due to COVID.

Suvannahket was amazing, as was Phnom Pehn.

Saigon and Vung Tau (beach) were great party destinations.

Angeles City and Barretto (beach) were fantastic monger destinations.

 

A better question is why not Thailand?

Because that's an easy one to answer, 800k in the bank and a government that hates us dirty farang.

Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines seem to be quite happy to have us spending our low levels of money there. You never see their government only wanting the seriously wealthy to go there.

 

I was once sitting in front of a bar in the Philippines with some pals, when the police chased and stopped a white guy driving a car. One of the police came over to us and apologised for arresting the foreigner and explained the guy was so drunk he couldn't drive in a straight line (he could hardly stand up). Can you imagine the police in Thailand doing that, or would they try and arrest us shouting , "You party, you party"

 

Too many choices, and too little time left.

Barretto beach.

What an apologetic police force! Thank god the RTP is different. 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, ravip said:

What an apologetic police force! Thank god the RTP is different. 

They spoke perfect English as well.

[Kanada]

On 5/16/2021 at 9:10 AM, WineOh said:

You sound just like me 20 years ago...

Seems like you didn’t like your home country either...now you dont like this one!

what’s your plan??

[Kanada]

On 5/16/2021 at 9:34 AM, saakura said:

At the age of 30, I was sent by my company to work in their small office in Bangkok which then had only a few expats and locals. 25 years down the road, it is a huge swanky office in downtown Bangkok with over 200 staff, almost all are locals. As they are all well educated, talented and very capable, recruitment of foreigners was stopped many years ago. 

Agree 100%
I think it’s very different if all the Friends you have you met were in a bar...doesn’t matter what country!

 

[thaibeachlovers]

I liked living in LOS because it was always warm/ hot, the girls were pretty, the living was cheap and they had proper cinemas. Also it wasn't PC and the authorities didn't try to control every aspect of my life

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Barretto beach.

Edited 17 hours ago by BritManToo

Where is the beach? I don't consider an over built sea side with ?3 feet of sand to be a beach that I'd want to live on.

In comparison, google Than Sadet for a proper beach.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Where is the beach? I don't consider an over built sea side with ?3 feet of sand to be a beach that I'd want to live on.

In comparison, google Than Sadet for a proper beach.

I'm not that bothered by 'desert Island beaches', I want bars, restaurants and hotels nearby.

This was a 'hooker bar' just off the beach, a raft to take customers out, filled with pretty girls in the afternoon and evening.

Edited May 19, 2021 by BritManToo

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm not that bothered by 'desert Island beaches', I want bars, restaurants and hotels nearby.

This was a 'hooker bar' just off the beach, a raft to take customers out, filled with pretty girls in the afternoon and evening.

Ah, I see the beach appears at low tide.

 

Not my scene at all. I collected one from Pattaya on my way to Koh Phangan, and enjoyed her and a lovely beach that wasn't cluttered up with buildings.

[BritManToo]

Back to the OP ........ why do you live in Thailand ......... this ..........

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

23 hours ago, Pilotman said:

That's a difficult one to answer, as it depends on the persons objectives in coming to Asia and how much 'wealth' that person has.  Thailand would certainly be high on that list, despite its frustrations, possibly followed by the Philippines, all post covid of course. Personally, I would avoid recommending Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam, but that is just a personal view. If money was no object then definitely Singapore or Taiwan, but they do not meet your 'cheap' criteria. 

if I was a rich man i would be japan for me--but Im poor----so its been LOS

 

Camb-Vietnam-Laos avoid? becos? I liked my 6 weeks in vietnam for what it was worth

[EVENKEEL]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Ah, I see the beach appears at low tide.

 

Not my scene at all. I collected one from Pattaya on my way to Koh Phangan, and enjoyed her and a lovely beach that wasn't cluttered up with buildings.

The pic is from PI, Baloy Beach

[Sticky Rice Balls]

16 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Back to the OP ........ why do you live in Thailand ......... this ..........

 

Is that a Hello Kitty Headboard?.  Is how I lost all my hair--or at least is my excuse ????

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

if I was a rich man i would be japan for me--but Im poor----so its been LOS

 

Camb-Vietnam-Laos avoid? becos? I liked my 6 weeks in vietnam for what it was worth

Its a very personal thing, Cambodia; run by criminals, very poor human rights record, poor medical facilities, too many Chinese  chasing girls and gambling, a centre for under age abuse;  not a place for me.  Vietnam, great to visit, beautiful country, but not very advanced medical facilities, poor infrastructure, although getting better but I could not live permanently in a communist run country.  Laos, like going back 200 years in development. I wasn't born in the 20th Century to then live in the 18th. 

[Logosone]

On 5/18/2021 at 9:34 AM, BritManToo said:

I was once sitting in front of a bar in the Philippines with some pals, when the police chased and stopped a white guy driving a car. One of the police came over to us and apologised for arresting the foreigner and explained the guy was so drunk he couldn't drive in a straight line (he could hardly stand up). Can you imagine the police in Thailand doing that, or would they try and arrest us shouting , "You party, you party"

 

Philippines is a great place, plus it has the added advantage that the alphabet is like ours and the language easier to pick up. Good restaurants and you can converse with some of the women. But it is more expensive than Thailand, and you won't get many of the western items you can get in Chiang Mai or Bangkok or Pattaya. Much more prone to natural disasters as well. But the dealbreaker: Internet is terrible compared to Thailand.

[2009]

On 5/16/2021 at 8:58 AM, ezzra said:

If you like Thailand now, you would have gone Gaga over being here 20-30 years ago when this country was the dream place to be in any way possible and especially for the single young man that i was, but as times and things turns, so did the viability of living here, this is not to say that it has become unpleasant but one can say it has become less fun and more mundane living...

 

Any stories you'd like to share?

I'd love to here a few.