What Is It Really Like Living In Thailand?

[paul-s]

I am considering moving to Thailand - I am getting to the age where I am considering retiring. I am currently self employed, working around 10 hrs a day, in the UK and have a Thai Lady over here who I have been with for over 10 years. I think I would have enough money to live comfortably.

I am fed up with the cold and wet weather of English winters and the high gas and electricity charges that go with it. Although, I have not yet managed the bottle to give it all up here in the UK and move to Thailand.

I have English friends in Chiang Mai and Pattaya who all say its wonderful and tell me to stop peeing about and go for it. They are so enthusiastic that it worries me!

So is it that good living in Thailand? - Do I go for it? - What are the bad things to watch out for? - Will I get bored

[jeebusjones]

If you're financially secure with 50k+ (baht) per month in steady income, I'd say go for it.

Edit: Actually, for two people maybe 60k+

Edited June 9, 2007 by jeebusjones

[paul-s]

If you're financially secure with 50k+ (baht) per month in steady income, I'd say go for it.

Edit: Actually, for two people maybe 60k+

Being a self employed person I don't think I have ever had a regular income, but I do have some money put aside and assets I could sell to alllow myself that sort of income.

I guess I am just a little nervous of makng the jump

[jetjock]

So is it that good living in Thailand? - Do I go for it? - What are the bad things to watch out for? - Will I get bored

Good question and hopefully you will get some good answers because I am also interested in the answer to your question about being bored. I am also giving consideration to spending alot more than my typical 3 months a year in LOS (usually split into two 6 week visits) but am concerned because I realize that living in a place can be quite different than just visiting it. When my wife and I come there for a visit, two or three of my American buddies almost always come with us. It works out great as it allows my Thai wife to spend time with her family and friends while I and my buddies hang around and do things together. The problem is that on the few occasions that my mates do not come over with us, I start getting really bored after a few weeks. This really concerns me as I am an extremely active and social type of guy. I hardly ever drink but like to do things like sports, working out, walking around and exploring new areas, and socializing with people that also enjoy doing things. I usually try to go to an expat club meeting when in Pattaya to give me a better idea of what it would be like to live in Thailand. I will be watching the answers to your post as I am interested in finding out if active social middle aged guys living in farang areas like Pattaya, Bangkok, Hua Hin,and Phuket get bored or if they have found it fairly easy to make new friends.

Edited June 9, 2007 by jetjock

[liketobe]

Ya....should he go for it?

[jdinasia]

He should read this forum ....

and he should REALLY visit here a few times before packing up and moving

[carnival1200]

If you're financially secure with 50k+ (baht) per month in steady income, I'd say go for it.

Edit: Actually, for two people maybe 60k+

Being a self employed person I don't think I have ever had a regular income, but I do have some money put aside and assets I could sell to alllow myself that sort of income.

I guess I am just a little nervous of makng the jump

It is impossible to say if you will get bored or not it totaly depends on your own persona.  Some people  are happy to do very little.  It is easier to get bored in blighty than in Thailand - thats for sure.  As for income:

if your not paying for 'company', and not on the piss every night, then you can live quite modestly for relitavley little.  I know a few older guys who live ok on 40K a month.

If they were back in the UK they would still only have 40k and they would be climbimg the walls.  Some guys stay in shit holes and spend most of there money on Chang (beer), some guys dont drink much and stay in decent accomodation !

[ThaiPauly]

Plenty to keep you occupied in either place Paul.

But working here is a different kettle of fish.

Nowhere near as straightforwatd as back home.

So retire by all means ...your money will go a lot further in CM than Pattaya though

[torito]

Given that you feel bored in UK I guess you are of a quite character...Pattaya may not be your place...

If you want to have some sort if income in here, research a lot before you invest your money. Lots of scams around. You will be surprised how well elaborated they are. Specially farangs. Many nice farangs in Chian Mai area for what I have learn in TV.

[carnival1200]

Plenty to keep you occupied in either place Paul.

But working here is a different kettle of fish.

Nowhere near as straightforwatd as back home.

So retire by all means ...your money will go a lot further in CM than Pattaya though

'Plenty to keep you occupied in either place'  I nearly fell asleep reading this post

The guys bored in England man - i dont think he needs to be told theres plent to keep him occupied there

[eek]

he should REALLY visit here a few times before packing up and moving

Definately.

some time out, a month or two and a couple of trips. Work out where you think you would like to be then try test drive how you would live here under normal circumstances.

(p.s i personally think Chiang Mai is beautiful..)

[Nebukanezar]

It works for me but then I'm not you. You really need to do a trial run for at least 3-4 months.

[solent01]

Plenty to keep you occupied in either place Paul.

But working here is a different kettle of fish.

Nowhere near as straightforwatd as back home.

So retire by all means ...your money will go a lot further in CM than Pattaya though

Sorry TP I don't agree, Pattaya is cheaper than Chiang Mai in all respects (I live between the two).

@ the OP, only you know if Thailand is for you, know one else can tell you that, you need to come here for an extended holiday and find out for yourself.

[ronw]

@ the OP, only you know if Thailand is for you, know one else can tell you that, you need to come here for an extended holiday and find out for yourself.

That is good advice......

I love it here,but for some people it may not be what they want...I tried the islands,and the cities,and they were not for me...........but I found my spot in the North....and am very happy to live in a small town....where most people know me..

If you own a house, why not rent it for a while,and come and try a longer stay ?...and that way you are not burning bridges.....

If you stay , and are not working, then you will need an ongoing "project"....mine is fishing,and learning to paint,

I am not very good at either.....but it is not a competition.....................

P.S. living costs are much lower in the countryside than in the fleshpots/cities...the trap to avoid is the demon drink...............

[coldcrush]

Plenty to keep you occupied in either place Paul.

But working here is a different kettle of fish.

Nowhere near as straightforwatd as back home.

So retire by all means ...your money will go a lot further in CM than Pattaya though

Sorry TP I don't agree, Pattaya is cheaper than Chiang Mai in all respects (I live between the two).

@ the OP, only you know if Thailand is for you, know one else can tell you that, you need to come here for an extended holiday and find out for yourself.

Cheaper, who can say? This is a how long is a piece of string answer. My friend lives in Pattaya and spends little and vice versus with CM. I myself spend lots in either location living there or travelling. CM is just a better place to live for me personally, that doesnt mean cost wise.

Edited June 9, 2007 by coldcrush

[fredcyber]

All good advice. I think the biggest factor is your own personality. If you get easily annoyed Thailand is not the place to live. Just paying bills and dealing with the simplest things is a full time job. If as you say you have a thai lady of 10 years standing you are aware of the basics so try it but remember the golden rule. Don't put money here that you are not prepared to walk away from if you have to.

[Kerryd]

Living here can be great, but it's not for everyone. That can be said for just about anywhere though.

I spent 4 years in Germany. Had a great time, but also saw a lot of my buddies end up divorced because their wives couldn't handle living in a foreign country. Sadly enough, when my unit returned to Canada we had the same problem in reverse, as a lot of the German wives couldn't handle living in Canada.

Take into account that Thailand is considerably different in many ways (culture, weather, food, ect) than where you are used to. Many people love the weather, but after a few months suddenly start griping about having to run the air-con all the time and how it's so humid, and then the rainy season comes along and they gripe about the rain (not everyone does that, but some do). (It seems a lot of people come to Thailand and spend a lot of time griping about everything here).

You've got to remember when you move to Thailand, that it ISN'T jolly ole (insert home country here). You shouldn't expect things to be like they are back in (insert home country here). It would be nice if they were, in some cases, but they aren't. You're going to have to do some adjusting to some new realities.

I can't tell you if you'll be bored here or not. How ever, if you get bored easily in the UK, you'd better have some good hobbies to fill your time when you are here, especially if you live up-country. I've seen a lot of "bored" people that start hitting the bars in the early afternoon because they've got nothing better to do. They end up shooting pool, chatting with other bored friends and drinking all day and night.

If you are in a place where there are ex-pat clubs, that would be a good way to do some networking and find things to do to occupy your time. If you are looking to live on the "lean" side of the scale, you'd be better off away from the bigger cities of course, where's there's less temptations on your budget (and therefore less to occupy your time with. Double-edged sword cuts both ways).

As others have said, it's probably better to take an extended vacation and try living here for 3-4 months, as you would expect to live if you moved here full-time. It's a lot different than coming over for a 2 weeker, staying in a hotel and dining out every night.

Then, if you find that you can handle a long stay here, you can go back and make more permament plans. At least then you'll have a decent, first hand idea of what to expect, and what to prepare for.

Good luck.

[fredcyber]

Sorry I forgot; read this forum for as long as you possibly can. It is the quickest way of getting a good idea of what it is like living here and just in case you are wondering it's all pretty accurate!!

[lazeeboy]

If you're financially secure with 50k+ (baht) per month in steady income, I'd say go for it.

Edit: Actually, for two people maybe 60k+

Being a self employed person I don't think I have ever had a regular income, but I do have some money put aside and assets I could sell to alllow myself that sort of income.

I guess I am just a little nervous of makng the jump

rent your house and go for it,with all the s*it that goes on here you wont be bored ,any way you can always go home if you dont like it

[fredcyber]

Sorry I forgot; read this forum for as long as you possibly can. It is the quickest way of getting a good idea of what it is like living here and just in case you are wondering it's all pretty accurate!!

[November Rain]

People are talking about how you can survive on 40k or 50k & you're talking about selling assets etc, OP. So, my thought is "For God's sake - no, don't do it!"

Firstly, you will need to have a certain amount (untouched) in the bank & a certain amount of income every month to qualify for your visa (amounts are different for married & retirement visas) You need to find out whether you can manage that.

Secondly, if you'll have to scrimp to make the amounts suggested (40,000 for a couple? Hah! Maybe in an up country village, but not in a tourist area.), you will find yourself having problems very quickly. You need to think about the lifestyle you want. If you like to go out, play golf, drive a car, drink, smoke, eat imported foods etc etc, these will all cost more. What about medical insurance? What about unforseeen circumstances? Do you have an emergency fund? If you find yourself scrimping from the very beginning, here, your life will not be much fun & you'll soon come to resent it, as much as you resent life in UK, now.

Will you be bored? Depends on what you like to do, what you plan to do & what you have the funds to do. Can you work from Thailand (via internet, for instance)? What are your hobbies? Can you indulge them here? Where do you plan to live? Will you buy a house or rent?

I think you have to think very hard about a lot more things than whether you'll be bored. Thailand can be a great place to live, if you can easily sustain the lifestyle you want. It can be the exact opposite, if you can't.

[LoveDaBlues]

All good advice. I think the biggest factor is your own personality. If you get easily annoyed Thailand is not the place to live. Just paying bills and dealing with the simplest things is a full time job. If as you say you have a thai lady of 10 years standing you are aware of the basics so try it but remember the golden rule. Don't put money here that you are not prepared to walk away from if you have to.

Best bit of wisdom on this thread. Thailand just isn't for everybody. It's possible to be happy and active here if you put forth the effort. I suspect the guys who sit around drinking most of the time did the same in their native country.

I've recently gotten back into playing golf (well made a few trips to the driving range lol). I bought a motorcycle a month ago and love it. I found a group that plays poker on a twice-weekly basis. My wife is preggy so in a few months the little one will take up my time.

If you're a self-starter and one who handles problems without losing your cool you have a chance here IMHO.

[Gary A]

Sorry, double post ??? Why? I have no idea.

Edited June 10, 2007 by Gary A

[Gary A]

I was told by some friends that retiring is the pits. That I would be bored to death. I have adapted nicely. I do VERY little and I do it very well. That said, we have a garden and I have a big workshop/garage. I have a hundred and one little projects started that I just can't seem to find time to finish up.

We live out in the boonies. I'm not antisocial but I do like my privacy and am content being left alone. I seldom watch TV, but I have a large supply of books. I'm content.

My wife takes care of all the household expenses including my Internet and UBC TV. I pay insurance premiums and buy the big ticket items. Including the insurance premiums, we spend less than 30,000 baht per month. I rent out my Jomtien condo and live in my wife's house so it is VERY cheap living out in the boonies.

[fabianfred]

You don't say where your wife is from.... but i would always recommend the Chiangmai area as having a better climate than Bangkok or Isaan..

If you are going to live here you will be buying a house.....or building one.... plenty to keep you busy getting that sorted to your satisfaction.... if you like gardening plenty to do there....

Buy a big chopper motorcycle.... they are great for touring around...

plenty of good bookshops in CM

if you are interested in the religion.... there is no better place to get deeper into it than here

do digital photography and video....

I have a large Hornby trainset... if you want that (ha ha... for the dads not the kids)

[jeebusjones]

(40,000 for a couple? Hah! Maybe in an up country village, but not in a tourist area

Why would he want to live in a tourist area? Anyway, I live in Bangkok with my girlfriend, and we live very well on 50-60k per month.

[Lite Beer]

(40,000 for a couple? Hah! Maybe in an up country village, but not in a tourist area

Why would he want to live in a tourist area? Anyway, I live in Bangkok with my girlfriend, and we live very well on 50-60k per month.

I started off in a tourist area(Samui) but after a couple of years the novelty wore off and I now live very happily with my wife in an Isaan village. We live very well on 40,000 a month. Can only dream of having 50-60k a month.

As they say each to there own.

The best piece of advice mentioned here is to rent your house out in UK and live off the income. If you like it you can always sell up later. If not your home is still there for you.

[JR Texas]

(40,000 for a couple? Hah! Maybe in an up country village, but not in a tourist area

Why would he want to live in a tourist area? Anyway, I live in Bangkok with my girlfriend, and we live very well on 50-60k per month.

I started off in a tourist area(Samui) but after a couple of years the novelty wore off and I now live very happily with my wife in an Isaan village. We live very well on 40,000 a month. Can only dream of having 50-60k a month.

As they say each to there own.

The best piece of advice mentioned here is to rent your house out in UK and live off the income. If you like it you can always sell up later. If not your home is still there for you.

JR Texas: Samui (overcrowded, overpriced, polluted); Bangkok (yes, live there if you love the worst traffic jams on the planet, overcrowded conditions, horrible air that will kill you); Chiang Mai (overcrowded and polluted and horrible air, even worse than Bangkok according to official measurements); Pattaya-Jomtien (used to be a nice place.....now not so nice....way too much hype and real estate madness, overcrowded, water problems, sanitation problems, electrical problems, and filled with some of the worse scum on the planet.......also some nice farangs to be fair); Phuket (overcrowded and getting polluted, and water shortages)..........only place left seems to be Isan.

One thing people rarely talk about is the extreme heat here (getting hotter because of global warming). SnowBirds love it at first, but many grow tired of it as it can be very oppressive and uncomfortable. The good news is that you apparently can find some British food in Thailand.......whatever that is (I am from USA). Also, lots of Brits here.

My advice is to not come here thinking it is paradise or hel_l. And I would visit first.......do not sell real estate if you have it back home as you might need it later (rent it out if you can). Take a tour of the place and see for yourself what is true or false according to your reality. Do not purchase anything of value for at least one year if you decide to retire here.

Also, if you can, take a look all over: Panama, Ecuador, southern Chile, Cambodia (check out Sihanoukville), Vietnam, Bahamas, Italy, Croatia, China (check out Hainan), etc. There are better places out there to live. And many of them actually want you to come there and spend your retirement dollars.......Thailand seems to want to push all the expats out the door (my view......others here will say that view is nuts).

Good luck!

[November Rain]

(40,000 for a couple? Hah! Maybe in an up country village, but not in a tourist area

Why would he want to live in a tourist area? Anyway, I live in Bangkok with my girlfriend, and we live very well on 50-60k per month.

I never said he would want to live in a tourist area. I was comparing prices & lifestyles. If you read the OP, he has friends in Chiang Mai & Pattaya who are urging him to come. IMO, both of those are touristy & more expensive than rural areas. Am I wrong?

I asked him where he was planning to live, as that would be a consideration in how much he would be spending. I suggest you read posts more carefully before running off half-cocked.

50,000 - 60,000 isn't 40,000, is it?. As I said in my post, he has to make a few decisions about his lifestyle expectations before he can decide how much he needs to live on.

[oswaldcassidy]

I am considering moving to Thailand - I am getting to the age where I am considering retiring. I am currently self employed, working around 10 hrs a day, in the UK and have a Thai Lady over here who I have been with for over 10 years. I think I would have enough money to live comfortably.

I am fed up with the cold and wet weather of English winters and the high gas and electricity charges that go with it. Although, I have not yet managed the bottle to give it all up here in the UK and move to Thailand.

I have English friends in Chiang Mai and Pattaya who all say its wonderful and tell me to stop peeing about and go for it. They are so enthusiastic that it worries me!

So is it that good living in Thailand? - Do I go for it? - What are the bad things to watch out for? - Will I get bored

When I was 50 I told my partner that on my 55 birthday we were going to sell up lock stock and barrel and move to Thailand it didnt quite work out that way as by the time I achieved what I was going to do I was 55 and 2 months and what is my verdict "Should have done it when I was 50" the reason I didnt do it cos like you I was self employed and if honest enough a little worried about leaving the security of of the UK . Okay you can get a little bored everyone does one minute your working 10 hours a day the next your doing nothing but life to short you never know what is around the corner so grab the opportunity if you can afford it we live on 40 k a month including rent and a motorbike in the uk it would be twice that. we have now been over here for 15 months and even though since our arrival the country is under military rule its no worse than blair and his cronies back in the uk . I suggest you work your nuts off until October then escape that english winter and chill out over here for 6 months if you find you like retirement make it your goal for 2008/2009 Good Luck