Just now, Mac Mickmanus said:

I have no plans to move to Rotherham at all and neither do I have a 13 year old daughter 

So you can't imagine?

Trouble with the left, you are in sure. They won't answer the hard questions.

Can you at least understand why the parents of those girls wish the UK government had never let people in from a <deleted> culture (acid attacks anyone) in?

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

A full year's State Pension should just about get your flights paid.

UK state pension is just under £180 a week - call it £9,000 a year - I'm not quite sure what super duper first class steak and salmon on silver platter champagne crystal goblet premium class you are using but I'm quite happy happy rice, nuts and a beer cattle class, for £400-500

Edited July 25, 20214 yr by RichardColeman

Just now, Grecian said:

So you can't imagine?

Trouble with the left, you are in sure. They won't answer the hard questions.

Can you at least understand why the parents of those girls wish the UK government had never let people in from a <deleted> culture (acid attacks anyone) in?

Ha ha , me a Leftie ?

If you say so .

I voted remain because I am enjoying Thailand, 'no matter how bad it gets' well for me it is good just now. No hardships worth a mention. Covid pfffft saw that in the UK, immigration, all going well. Rainy season at last a bit of rain for the rice. 

Interesting topic and replies.

 

As a relatively younger member of the board and a newly remote-ish worker (the only good thing to happen from Covid), I intend to use my newfound freedom to establish home bases in Vancouver and probably Bangkok and then use them as hubs to travel around those respective continents. See if I can get the best of both worlds.

 

I anticipate that post-Covid Bangkok will continue to be a nice place for the next decade to fifteen years, after which it may decline (assuming the current trajectory continues). Too far out to project what I might do thereafter.

 

I expect that the mix of expats here will change as well. When the dust settles from this global event, I believe that quite a few other people will reach the same conclusions I have, and that Thailand will see an influx of younger, relatively more skilled professionals than it has in the past.

5 hours ago, Stocky said:

When isn't Thailand experiencing political upheaval, Thailand, hub of coups. As for Covid, just have to wait until I get jabbed, I've no where else to go at the moment.

Exactly. I came here in 2001. Since then we have had coups, tsunamis, bird flu....swine flu....whichever one H1N1 was??? I dont know, its bloody developing country, what do you expect?....German organizational skills and efficiency?....the 'fairness' of Sweden??....the luck of the Irish???

 

All countries are in this......ahem 'pandemic' right now and are following the same narrative. Eventually the virus will burn itself out, they always do. I am keeping a low profile and just going about my business, as I did before the virus that most of planet earth does not die from came along. 

 

Get some sun, get some sleep, eat real food, don't get drunk absolutely every night, drink at least 2 litres of water a day and maintain a good sex life. The likelihood of you still being here when this virus is over is really quite high. 

 

 

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Being in Thailand or Canberra, you'll be just fine. If China ever does decide to invade and takeover Taiwan, I'm guessing many people will be thunderstruck when they realize the United States will do nothing in reply, except throw on some more sanctions.

I agree this is the agreement between the two but of course it will not be disclosed, proof that many IT  Taiwan firme are relocated to the US or Japan. You don't make a war with a nuclear country.

1 hour ago, Aussieroaming said:

Yes, good points. I was thinking about the "China" influence as well and the increasing western versus Chinese antagonistic type of verbal rhetoric. I see an increasing potential for escalation of hostilities in the next 5 to 10 years and China may well pressure Asian friends to commit to a more "allied" type relationship if the current antagonism with the west increases. Then being a foreigner in Thailand may either become more difficult or may become unpleasant. Maybe I am overthinking it, but it seems like a possibility to at least consider as political influence in Asia changes.

It is well that you realize that politics has already changed we are in the allied country with China like Laos and Myanmar,  Cambodia, it is not today it was yesterday, here we are only tolerate for our monthly money entering the country.

 

31 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

Interesting topic and replies.

 

As a relatively younger member of the board and a newly remote-ish worker (the only good thing to happen from Covid), I intend to use my newfound freedom to establish home bases in Vancouver and probably Bangkok and then use them as hubs to travel around those respective continents. See if I can get the best of both worlds.

 

I anticipate that post-Covid Bangkok will continue to be a nice place for the next decade to fifteen years, after which it may decline (assuming the current trajectory continues). Too far out to project what I might do thereafter.

 

I expect that the mix of expats here will change as well. When the dust settles from this global event, I believe that quite a few other people will reach the same conclusions I have, and that Thailand will see an influx of younger, relatively more skilled professionals than it has in the past.

Good luck young boy with many dreams

2 minutes ago, BE88 said:

Thailand will see an influx of younger, relatively more skilled professionals

yes  ........   10 million Chinese I'd guess

I've been here that long I've forgotten where Im from

3 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Are there any more options ?

In the next few years, China will force the issue of Taiwan (by invasion and forced re-unification as one country with ongoing strong resistance from the Taiwanise people. I do not believe USA will go to all out war with China over Taiwan - huffing and puffing but not military warfare - China will retain Taiwan as a result.

In the next 10 years, I see Thailand increasingly coming under more influence of and submission to Chinese directives and pressures. Thai royalty will be left in place along with a puppet government or junta doing the bidding of their Chinese masters in areas of foreign policy and economic policy as Thailand becomes a full local satellite of China as a rising power. .  

3 hours ago, BusyB said:

And Cambodia is not?

They seem to quite like white foreigners.

The 1 year VISA's couldn't be easier, no queuing, no paperwork, no visits to immigration.

Just pay your $300 to the local agency, hand over your passport, and collect a few days later.

51 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

I anticipate that post-Covid Bangkok will continue to be a nice place for the next decade to fifteen years, after which it may decline (assuming the current trajectory continues). Too far out to project what I might do thereafter.

I anticipate COVID travel restrictions never ending, and your expected freedom to never happen.

I hope you're right, and I'm wrong.

7 hours ago, simon43 said:

I already left about 2.5 years ago, settling in Luang Prabang, in north Laos.  Of course, my relocation was pre-covid, and was based on my perception of future uncertainty about the direction that I saw Thailand moving, in terms of immigration/visa rules, cost of living, xenophobia, 'paperwork hassles (visas, banking etc).

 

I wasn't constrained by family or business - I'm divorced for many years and have an online job.  I should also mention that I moved from the UK to south-east Asia almost 20 years ago for medical reasons (I have aspergillosis, a long-term lung illness, and symptoms are all but eliminated by living in a hot and humid climate, daily exercise and a healthy diet!)

 

So far, I happy with my move to north Laos ????

Hows the visa deal?

28 minutes ago, steven100 said:

yes  ........   10 million Chinese I'd guess

You sure is me I said this ?

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I anticipate COVID travel restrictions never ending, and your expected freedom to never happen.

I hope you're right, and I'm wrong.

Nah. A degree of travel freedom will return. I am sure of it.

 

Why? Because we've seen that in every location that cracked open the restrictions there was a ton of pent up demand. Tons of people still want to travel. In addition to that, pre-Covid the travel and tourism sector made up 10.4% of global GDP. There's no way we're just going to accept a permanent 10% loss in economic output.

 

I don't know how long it will take to bounce back to pre-Covid levels, and vaccine passports are likely to be mandatory for travel convenience, but it will be better than now. It has to be.

17 minutes ago, BE88 said:

Good luck young boy with many dreams

One thing that never changes for me ........... is the fact that when i came here 30 years ago as a wide-eyed traveler looking for something different than the culture i grew up in, and soon after moved here permanently..... was to GET AWAY  from the type of people that were to come after .    and come.  and come.      AND,  of course complain about how things here were so screwed up compared to where they came from.      

1 minute ago, rumak said:

One thing that never changes for me ........... is the fact that when i came here 30 years ago as a wide-eyed traveler looking for something different than the culture i grew up in, and soon after moved here permanently..... was to GET AWAY  from the type of people that were to come after .    and come.  and come.      AND,  of course complain about how things here were so screwed up compared to where they came from.      

Weren't you the one who wanted to go to Canada recently?

 

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

I start to get my reduced UK state pension in about 4 years from now, (reduced because I don't qualify for the full 35 years, I was in Thailand).

 

But that monthly state pension amount is higher than what I typically pay each month right now for my 3 bed house by the Mekong river in north Laos $1M expat medical cover, restaurant meals (salad) every day, petrol costs, electricity costs, internet (2 fibreoptic lines) cost etc  etc.  I think pension + savings interest will cover me just fine ????  Plus if WW3 breaks out, I'm probably in a relatively safe place...

 

 

Move back for a few months before you reach pension age and claim pension credit, garenteed £177 a month

Future  plans?

As I wasted previous 76 years why start planning?

2 hours ago, kimamey said:

There's no doubt it probably needs updating but I can't see that happening any time soon.

Maggie tried to update it to a fairer system ie what you use is what you pay for. It was unfortunately called the Poll Tax.

7 minutes ago, lanng khao said:

Move back for a few months before you reach pension age and claim pension credit, garenteed £177 a month

It is illegal if you are not living in UK, but give it a go, why not?

20 minutes ago, rumak said:

AND,  of course complain about how things here were so screwed up compared to where they came from.

From my time spent on this forum, the impression I get is that many of the retirees who moved over here cut most their day to day ties with their home countries.

 

In my experience, dual-city living is a much better way to do it. Different places have advantages and disadvantages. Building up lives in different locations and the ability to freely move between them ought to let you maximize the advantages of each while minimizing the disadvantages. That's my plan anyway. Will it work? Who knows.

14 minutes ago, BE88 said:

Weren't you the one who wanted to go to Canada recently?

 

nope.    my thai daughter lives there and i have mentioned that she finds the people much more pleasant than the country to the south .     

she might have a nice grandpa cabin for me one day which if i make it to 80 I just might go live in.

 

but, i do like walking around in almost nothing ........ feels a lot better than bundled up.

also thais seem much easier to get along with for me in day to day life.  much less complicated

than those sophisticated white folks

14 minutes ago, olfu said:

Future  plans?

As I wasted previous 76 years why start planning?

I doubt you wasted all 76 yrs ....   there must have been one or two years you enjoyed.   

3 hours ago, Grecian said:

Rotherham for a start. Pakistani grooming gangs were known about but NOBODY, including the police, social services etc would say for fear of negative consequences.

It was the BNP who tried to bring it to light and we all know what thanks they got.

Muslims / try eastern European's  in glasgow there is a street ( calder st) you cant walk down there if you are white even the police dont go down there, but sure someone will say I;m racist

Just now, The Cipher said:

From my time spent on this forum, the impression I get is that many of the retirees who moved over here cut most their day to day ties with their home countries.

 

In my experience, dual-city living is a much better way to do it. Different places have advantages and disadvantages. Building up lives in different locations and the ability to freely move between them ought to let you maximize the advantages of each while minimizing the disadvantages. That's my plan anyway. Will it work? Who knows.

Now that i know your approximate age I can appreciate your dreams and aspirations.  From the age of 20 onward I have moved at least 20 times .  And i don't mean down the street.   I had a few chances to get really rich but that didn't happen .   But the adventures one has when not staying in 5 star places are IMO  much richer than those ordering room service from a Sheridan Hotel .

I can almost assure you that the one constant in life is change.   You may get fantastically wealthy but have the personality of a b gates.      

If you are very successful soon........... please remember that I am a very good driver .  call me

Can't think of a better place to be right now. Will stay in until I get a vaccine, should be very soon. 

As I am paid in US dollars, the baht weakening and house prices about to fall drastically, now is a great time to by property and land. I do worry about the US dollar though but as I am heavily invested in cryptocurrency, I feel safe from the hyperinflation there. When I retire in 10 years, I will spend half my time in Scotland/travelling abroad. 

17 minutes ago, rumak said:

also thais seem much easier to get along with for me in day to day life.

I don't talk to them they don't talk to me.

A wave as I pass ............