Are you still able to live comfortably?

[Rimmer]

Some baiting bickering and name calling posts have been removed

[EVENKEEL]

29 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm a Yank, and unlike many, escaped 3 marriages unscathed, with no children, so always 'living free & easy'.  Did just OK in RE, so housing & car would, should be mortgage / loan free in most countries.  USA home prices have skyrocketed, but could find something comfy of $100-150k in rural area, which I would prefer, as long as access to a metro area via train.  For the life of me, can't think of any place in USA I'd want to live, and living on the road, would get old after the first year or two, besides silly expensive.

 

Killer for me back in USA, is RE Taxes.  Last house was $4k a year, for paid off house, and nice, but nothing special.  That and the forced healthcare ins. or now, Medicare Plan something for drug coverage, knocking on $300 a month, really cuts into someone's monthly fixed budget, as I stopped investing, since the 40% tax on that is a turn off, when I'm taking all the risks.  Healthcare cost are so high, that the deductible or ins. premiums I'd pay is more than healthcare here, without the insurance.  Can't get any sillier than that.

 

Add that I enjoy traveling more than staying home, and you can't get much, hotel wise for $50-100 there, especially surfside, keeps me in Thailand.  

 

Here you rent (<฿10k) or build a nice rural house (<฿2m), own a car, and travel at will, surfside or mountain views (barring smog season) for less than ฿1k a night.  No RE Taxes, and healthcare easily accessible & affordable.  Really don't even need a car, and could easily get by with just a scooter.

 

It's a no brainer.  Long term visa is too easy to qualify for, w/wife 40/400k or 65/800k.  My only issue is, it's a really small country, and I guess that's relative to where we originate from.  I've been around it a few times, though still find interesting things & places to visit, and waiting to go out & about again.   Luckily I self entertain easily, because a Wat is not a tourist attraction, and most national parks, aren't worth the Thai entrance fee.  Water flowing over a meter drop, is not a 'waterfall'.

 

Just riding around with my dog & my camera, taking snaps of critters & everyday life keeps me happy.  Wife even tolerates me ????

 

Motel 6 in Ca runs $100/night and this is a farming town not a big city.

[fredscats]

14 hours ago, rott said:

I agree with the subsistence living comment, but there are many very liveable places in Pattaya which will give plenty of change out of 8,000 a month. In fact 8,000 is at the top end of what needs to be paid. Yes I am talking about accom cost only. 

 

Where else in all the suggested alternatives outside of Asean would you get decent accommodation and, more importantly, in a decent neighbourhood for that. 

Now if I was starting life off in Patts especially,Id give Boocow a miss,it gets boring,but starting off CC condo  4500 a month  or recently was   "praise indeed"yes dark side ,but not far off and saunas /gyms galore,buy a 135cc  Yamaha Neuvo pick one up for 8000 up ,dirt cheap second hand,eat at food court opp Wetherspoons, Boocow,under a 100baht meal and drink,beer too   The wealthy can only get wealthier

 

As afterthought and post about ref medical care,yes Thailand is expensive ,not so US tho,  Im awaiting travelling to India for laser eye care,here Thailand 600,000 Ruthin,there 35000 but better expirience,been few xs

Edited October 22, 2021 by fredscats

[thaibeachlovers]

On 10/21/2021 at 3:17 PM, fredscats said:

This is laughable,..is          MYOB  after countless years of threats of doom to those who oppose frozen pensions and doing something about it,years of it,to no avail....Im still here doing the same thing,others not so ,but I see jealousy raising its head here....Who is the thieving and fraudster Col. Blimp?

Why are you posting about an Australian multinational corporation?

That is what google says MYOB means.

[fredscats]

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Why are you posting about an Australian multinational corporation?

That is what google says MYOB means.

Yes sorry about this,got confused   Its about NZ/UK free trade agreement,sheep especially

[sandyf]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:15 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

100% correct. Who gets married expecting to lose a lot or even most in a difficult ending? My biggest asset, my house was lost to such an event, the repercussions of which make my life far more difficult today than it would have been had I never become embroiled with a bad woman.

Same here, ex wife used my son to keep hold of the house and virtually everything else.

[Leaver]

On 10/19/2021 at 10:35 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Even people never worked a day for pay in their lives get NHS treatment free at point of delivery, but you knew that.

 

Yes, so why deny "payers" access due to their geographic location?  

[Irate priest]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Yes, so why deny "payers" access due to their geographic location?  

Look as Rick Astley said " you know the rules and so do I " take it up with Rick..

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Yes, so why deny "payers" access due to their geographic location?  

I suggest you ask your MP to take it up in parliament.

The bureaucracy managed to deny me my right to a pension while not in country by using an unusual and not well known clause in the legal verbiage, which means I am unable to live in LOS, so I fail to have sympathy to those with pensions and able to live there, despite not being able to hop on a plane and return to the UK for free cararact surgery or such like.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 10/22/2021 at 8:59 PM, sandyf said:

Same here, ex wife used my son to keep hold of the house and virtually everything else.

What about when he leaves home? House might be worth way more by then.

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I suggest you ask your MP to take it up in parliament.

The bureaucracy managed to deny me my right to a pension while not in country by using an unusual and not well known clause in the legal verbiage, which means I am unable to live in LOS, so I fail to have sympathy to those with pensions and able to live there, despite not being able to hop on a plane and return to the UK for free cararact surgery or such like.

It's been taken up by parliament many times & was even taken to the EU courts but each time the pensioners lost.. https://international-adviser.com/expats-lose-pensions-claim-eu-court/

 

There is an organisation (name escapes me at the moment) that has formed to continue to put pressure on the government to remove it, I think it will be interesting to see what they do with EU countries when they're up for review (believe this is in 2023).  NB the rules around Frozen Pensions pre-date the EU as it's all to do with having a reciprocal social security arrangment with the country the pensioner is living in which is why we have strange things like your UK pension isn't frozen in Philippines but is in Australia & Canada. 

 

 

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What about when he leaves home? House might be worth way more by then.

Left home a long time ago. I was coerced into signing the house over to her, including my endowment policies that supported the mortgage. The policies matured and paid off her mortgage. She has since remarried and new husband becomes the beneficiary.

Life sucks at times.

[Leaver]

14 hours ago, Irate priest said:

Look as Rick Astley said " you know the rules and so do I " take it up with Rick..

 

We both know what's been going on.  ????

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I suggest you ask your MP to take it up in parliament.

The bureaucracy managed to deny me my right to a pension while not in country by using an unusual and not well known clause in the legal verbiage, which means I am unable to live in LOS, so I fail to have sympathy to those with pensions and able to live there, despite not being able to hop on a plane and return to the UK for free cararact surgery or such like.

 

The benefits system in the UK is a generous one, which is often abused.  Unfortunately, it's not so generous to those that actually fund it.  

[In Full Agreement]

On 10/1/2021 at 2:38 AM, georgegeorgia said:

put the count down on now for between 78 & 82

 

Are those the popular ages for dying now?

 

[DrPhibes]

Comfortably yes.  Happily, depends on the wife's mood today.

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

We both know what's been going on.  ????

We know the game and, we're going to play it ???? 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Mike Teavee

[Mike Teavee]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

Left home a long time ago. I was coerced into signing the house over to her, including my endowment policies that supported the mortgage. The policies matured and paid off her mortgage. She has since remarried and new husband becomes the beneficiary.

Life sucks at times.

Am sure (hope) you've moved on though Sandy & are busy enjoying your life ???? 

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

The benefits system in the UK is a generous one, which is often abused.  Unfortunately, it's not so generous to those that actually fund it.  

Couldn't agree more, never forget the time I was kicked out of "6 form" [in my defence I got hooked on computers so stoped attending the classes I was supposed to be studying] & said to my mum that I was just going to "Sign On" (most of my mates at the time were)... 

I got kicked out of the house & sent to the job centre & told not to come back until I got a job.

 

Never claimed a penny from the government & (apart from whatever i get as a State Pension) I hope I never willl... But I still contribute (in terms of AVCs & any taxes I still pay on income from UK) as I believe it's important to give back to what I did get from them (a great Education being just one). 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Mike Teavee

[madmen]

Oz pension is not 50 k

Try 44k. That changes things a bit 

[Mike Teavee]

13 minutes ago, madmen said:

Oz pension is not 50 k

Try 44k. That changes things a bit 

I don't know how the AUS$ has faired but us Brits have had a bit of a bonus recently as the THB was around 37'ish when I retired in Feb 2020 but is now around 46 so that's > 24% increase in spending power ????

 

 

[fredscats]

21 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I suggest you ask your MP to take it up in parliament.

The bureaucracy managed to deny me my right to a pension while not in country by using an unusual and not well known clause in the legal verbiage, which means I am unable to live in LOS, so I fail to have sympathy to those with pensions and able to live there, despite not being able to hop on a plane and return to the UK for free cararact surgery or such like.

This frozen pension debate has been around for zeons,but I do take note of what a DWP spokesperson quoted 12 years ago or so,after effort was made to address the problem,"will not take action against individuals,but mass protests will"  not looking for the quote either Do believe the govt,/DWP are not interested even remotely of doing anything about it ie scrapping frozen pensions/ detecting anyone receiving non frozen,track record would reveal all...none to reveal,much to disgust of the jealous bretheren....nothing unlawful except notification of address,for what?  non-punishable offence   yeah right  Im right up there    as for hopping on a plane for cataract surgery,try India 2 hours away from BKK,Im off as soon as clearance for cataract/laser  far better and far quicker than back 'ome

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

I don't know how the AUS$ has faired but us Brits have had a bit of a bonus recently as the THB was around 37'ish when I retired in Feb 2020 but is now around 46 so that's > 24% increase in spending power ????

 

 

Although when I retired here it was well over 60 baht......actually nearer 70.

Edited October 25, 2021 by jacko45k

[sandyf]

13 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Am sure (hope) you've moved on though Sandy & are busy enjoying your life ???? 

Quite so. While the ink was drying on the divorce papers a friend of mine invited me to his wedding in Buriram. That was Sept 1999 and never looked back. Came over a couple of times a year from then on and moved permanently in 2008.????

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, fredscats said:

as for hopping on a plane for cataract surgery,try India 2 hours away from BKK,Im off as soon as clearance for cataract/laser  far better and far quicker than back 'ome

Why go to India? There is a very good eye dept at Ban Phaeo hospital with laser facilities. I had both eyes done just before the pandemic started. What a godsend, no misting up of the glasses from the mask.

As you say, far better, quicker and cheaper than the UK.

[fredscats]

6 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Why go to India? There is a very good eye dept at Ban Phaeo hospital with laser facilities. I had both eyes done just before the pandemic started. What a godsend, no misting up of the glasses from the mask.

As you say, far better, quicker and cheaper than the UK.

Was 4,500 return Calcutta     looking for non-blade op  quoted 35000b last   Rp crashed, around 25000baht now I think   plus plus  get cancer scans   bowel camera up the ass  35000 here  or abouts  there 1000,stomach  40000 here, there 1200  blood work  everything/every thing,scans   mri/cat   good break too     

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, fredscats said:

Was 4,500 return Calcutta     looking for non-blade op  quoted 35000b last   Rp crashed, around 25000baht now I think   plus plus  get cancer scans   bowel camera up the ass  35000 here  or abouts  there 1000,stomach  40000 here, there 1200  blood work  everything/every thing,scans   mri/cat   good break too     

Each to his own, but not for me.

[fredscats]

15 hours ago, sandyf said:

Each to his own, but not for me.

Too true,its only using the two countries that you realise India is light years in advance of Thailand,and these prices in TH are shockers

 

Prostate reduction 440,000,just for op,,no bed/nursing/food/ charges etc...there20,000 odd, semi private room  5 day in patient all in   superb 

[sandyf]

37 minutes ago, fredscats said:

Too true,its only using the two countries that you realise India is light years in advance of Thailand,and these prices in TH are shockers

 

Prostate reduction 440,000,just for op,,no bed/nursing/food/ charges etc...there20,000 odd, semi private room  5 day in patient all in   superb 

All depends where you look in Thailand.

I was a total of 39,000 baht including aftercare for cataract surgery in both eyes, that included 10,000 baht I paid for the top man to do the job.

Hardly a shocker and the brand new laser equipment had only been installed a couple of months. A private room in the hospital is 2300 baht a night.

[fredscats]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

All depends where you look in Thailand.

I was a total of 39,000 baht including aftercare for cataract surgery in both eyes, that included 10,000 baht I paid for the top man to do the job.

Hardly a shocker and the brand new laser equipment had only been installed a couple of months. A private room in the hospital is 2300 baht a night.

Specifically I am not looking for bladed surgery,but powered eye surgery,In conversation with out patient Ruthin,they not only do not do it,but never heard of it,also near/far sight adjusted same op