Thailand on 170,000 baht a month

[Boomer6969]

Well, 10 years ago, when I was coming here 3 weeks at a time, my spending was 250k to 300k, and no luxury, but still good hotels, food and wine.

 

Nowadays 170k for a month will give you only a modest lifestyle.

[Henryford]

I doubt anyone can live on 170k a month. Have to give up the caviar sandwiches maybe.

[Walker88]

Even a top Pinot Grigio is pretty cheap, so count yourself lucky. If your wife enjoyed something more interesting....like maybe Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino or some of the Gaja offerings made with the lovely Nebbiolo grapes from Piemonte, that paltry 170K wouldn't last very long. Of course you could buy a pup tent and set it up in Lumpini Park and be able to enjoy the wine, though it would be so gauche to match it with a little roasted Monitor Lizard. Better to go with a nice French white burgundy or a Sancerre for that repast.

 

 

 

[LaosLover]

5 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Nowadays 170k for a month will give you only a modest lifestyle.

I am willing to suffer the dire deprivations you cite just to be near some pretty impressive Buddha statues.

 

But if half that amount had me eating sushi as many nights as I wanted in Mexico, I'm guessing it won't be that grim in Bangkok. 

 

I am glad that comprehension-challenged posters here enjoy so much support. Let them at least have that. While I wallow around in a pile of money.

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, LaosLover said:

 

If you're a person who moved to Thailand and likes it -for whatever reason- I view you with admiration. Even the boorish-yelling guy is someone I would probably like

Thailand has been my home for more than 20 years. 

 

It's perfect for me as I've been working around the world on a 28/28 rotation and BKK is ideal for getting to work. 

 

I wouldn't live anywhere else, got my teenage kids going to school/university, I'm living the dream. 

 

Only complaint I have is the moaning foreigners, it looks like you've found a few of them already. 

 

Good luck with your relocation, I reckon the idea is to keep yourself busy, too many members here have too much free time and they become annoying on AN.

 

[phetphet]

Wine is expensive here due to high taxes.

 

Taking account of the nightmare traffic in Bangkok, you may end up using the BTS and MRT transport systems more than any Uber or regular taxi driver. That will be more convenient and less cost.

 

Personal trainers? You can probably negotiate price. Variable. But you might also have to factor in gym costs.

Thai language tutors? Maybe better to join a school.

 

After the gym and Thai lessons, it's all that other free time during the day that you will have to have to price in for the two of you.

 

Seeing as all other costs (insurance etc) are separate, what you plan is possible, but I reckon you will change those plans once here and experience the reality.

 

The other thing going in your favour might be the USD getting stronger as it is forecast to do.

 

Good luck with your aims.

 

[LaosLover]

3 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Thailand has been my home for more than 20 years. 

 

Only complaint I have is the moaning foreigners, it looks like you've found a few of them already. 

 

Good luck with your relocation, I reckon the idea is to keep yourself busy, too many members here have too much free time and they become annoying on AN.

 

I am grateful for your generous input. Like I said, I want to study Thai culture formally and informally and give something back to this place that has so inspired me my entire adult life. To do that in relative luxury is a dream come true.

 

I get that there a corrupt elements to Thai society, but then again, I am currently writing from the Trumpiest rear end of Bible-land, USA.

 

I've had a lot of fun sitting in the Thermae for laughs over the years with the kind of people here who diss me. Their misery is self-inflicted; I wish it wasn't. As the Zennies say, wherever you go, there you are.

[RichardColeman]

7 hours ago, LaosLover said:

If I have more money than 98% of the people here, then how am I financially inept and what does that make them? Sheesh, indeed.

IF you HAVE more money than 98% of the people on this forum and have 170,000 baht a month to live on I think you already know that you are rich enough to have whatever you want in Thailand - you would know already the average wage in Thailand. You are clearly already financially sound enough to understand economics, savings and income no matter the country. 

 

I only have 59-61K a month (baht dependant) for me and my family - at 58 , I only get my company pension and UK rental income, later I will get UK state pension. I'd like to think that I have made some good financial choices in life to permit me to retire at 55 - not rich but comfortable. Later in life I should have about 90-100k a month, which to me will be an extremely good life in Thailand - but I am not going to start shouting about it !!

 

Think you are just blowing your financial 'look how rich I am' hooter mate, sorry

 

 

 

[Boomer6969]

7 hours ago, LaosLover said:

If I have more money than 98% of the people here, then how am I financially inept and what does that make them? Sheesh, indeed.

Your 98% are probably more like 90%. Bear in mind thatThailand has more billionaires that in any European country, while Isaan (about one third on the population) lives under tough third world conditions. But then there is still a middle class, probably 10% of the population, mainly in Bangkok and big cities, who enjoys living standards similar what we were used to in Europe, OZ and US, with combined family incomes over 300k a month.

[JimTripper]

8 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

If that is the question you want answered , why did you put all that other info in your post ?

And maybe an easy early lesson learned about bragging in Thailand if he's smart.

[Baron Samedi]

26 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It seems your definition of "a Thai person" is very limited. There are lots of Thai people out there who spend a lot more than only 170k per month.

Show me statistics.

What percentage of the population spends more than 170k/month?

 

 

[sanuk711]

7 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I got no diss for someone on 30K in Issan; they're like gods to me

"I got no diss for someone on 30K in Issan; they're like gods to me"

-----------

 

God's......well OK...... Hey,  leave him alone guys, just stop picking on him , he seems OK person to me, with great judgment also...............

[StayinThailand2much]

8 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

170,000 baht is it enough? 555555

To have caviar in Bangkok regularly? Yes!

[LaosLover]

8 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Wine is expensive here due to high taxes.

 

Taking account of the nightmare traffic in Bangkok, you may end up using the BTS and MRT transport systems more than any Uber or regular taxi driver. That will be more convenient and less cost.

 

Personal trainers? You can probably negotiate price. Variable. But you might also have to factor in gym costs.

Thai language tutors? Maybe better to join a school.

 

After the gym and Thai lessons, it's all that other free time during the day that you will have to have to price in for the two of you.

 

Seeing as all other costs (insurance etc) are separate, what you plan is possible, but I reckon you will change those plans once here and experience the reality.

 

The other thing going in your favour might be the USD getting stronger as it is forecast to do.

 

Good luck with your aims.

 

I've been all over Bangkok in my 20+ visits and my crosstown travels will therefore be infrequent, but it would be great to have a reliable driver to say, explore the other side of the river. I'll def do a language school and am researching neighborhoods where I might like to live that have one that at least has a competent website.

 

Most likely that means living closer to downtown, so I'm prob talking about a 2 step move: Farang ghetto on arrival, then moving a bit further out down the road. If my graduate studies come to pass, I guess I'll live near Chunglakorn University, which is a pretty decent and green area to be in (behind the MBK mall). We may yet end up in Chiang Mai, again for the university connection.

 

If I'm doing the gym, 3-4 hours of language study, and enjoying the city, I don't see too much unfilled time going wanting. Me and my wife are happy to spend 24 hours a day together alone for months on end, like we do in Mexico. We'll do meet ups etc. with limited expectations and a very open mind.

[SAFETY FIRST]

14 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I get that there a corrupt elements to Thai society

Thailand comes as a package, you can't pick and choose, lots of complainers about corruption, this issue as foreigners we can't change, you have to live with it, just budget for it. I reckon it's the Cheap Charlie's that get really annoyed by corruption. 

It was only recently I got bullied on AN (name calling etc) by a couple of AN members regarding corruption. 

 

I always say put up with all the negatives or shut up, I've even suggested to a few members to go back to where they come from, they will quick smart be back in Thailand. 

 

Thailand has many more positives than negatives for me, it's not perfect but there is no such place. 

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[OneMoreFarang]

13 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I've had a lot of fun sitting in the Thermae for laughs over the years

How long ago was that? I guess sometime in the last century.

[OneMoreFarang]

13 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

Show me statistics.

What percentage of the population spends more than 170k/month?

Just drive to one of those luxury shopping malls and look at the luxury car parking area to get your first impression. And then if you want to have a look at those people with those cars.

All those luxury stores would not exist without people with deep pockets.

 

I don't know the percentage. But looking at the amount of luxury shopping malls there are many of them.

 

[LaosLover]

11 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

And maybe an easy early lesson learned about bragging in Thailand if he's smart.

As an American, I do not know all the Britosphere secret handshakes about talking about money. Your various neurosis's about the Queen and class hierarchy or whatever are wholly of your own making.

 

In America, when we talk about money, we put a number on it. It's not a brag; it's a number that describes my specific situation.

 

Otherwise, it's a lot of faux-witty responses about how long is a piece of string? If I flat out fell into my good luck and freely admit it, that is the opposite of bragging. If I ask how to maximize that good luck and negotiate it, that's pretty much a standard life in Thailand post like I read here every day.

 

I'd be just as interested in what the lifestyle leap from 60K to 90K means to someone living on the ground as I am about the leap from 170K to 200.

[CharlieH]

8 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just drive to one of those luxury shopping malls and look at the luxury car parking area to get your first impression. And then if you want to have a look at those people with those cars.

All those luxury stores would not exist without people with deep pockets.

 

I don't know the percentage. But looking at the amount of luxury shopping malls there are many of them.

 

Well, here are some statistics for you, around 90% of the wealth, is owned by 10% of population, so that makes around 6.5 million people.????

"Thailands wealth inequality is the highest in the world"

[RichardColeman]

24 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

What percentage of the population spends more than 170k/month?

What's the % of Generals in the Thai population ? 

[LaosLover]

I heard Thermae was back. But what do I care? Someone I like does me for free.

 

Corruption-wise and other typical complaints here like double pricing are unlikely to impact my life at all. I'm likely to go to a Thai National Park, less than a half a dozen times before the grave.

 

When I went to Sukothai, they wanted more money to get close to the big Buddha. I told them I could see it well enough from the ticket desk. They laughed at me. I was fine with that.

 

And what do I care about the Thai elites? I am more likely to meet an Elvis impersonator in Bangkok than a Thai one percenter. They don't want to talk to stinky old me anymore than they do you. I get it, I get it.

Edited June 12, 2022 by LaosLover

[cooked]

I would be doing very well in my home town in Switzerland on that kind of money. 

VERY silly question, but maybe the OP never went abroad before apart from annual two week holidays?

[Baron Samedi]

25 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't know the percentage. But

Well if you don't know why are you implying that I'm biased ?

I would tend to think that you are the one unable to comprehend what life is for most Thai people.

 

18 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Well, here are some statistics for you, around 90% of the wealth, is owned by 10% of population, so that makes around 6.5 million people.????

"Thailands wealth inequality is the highest in the world"

Thank you ???? That's pretty much what I thought.

 

[Baron Samedi]

22 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I heard Thermae was back. But what do I care? Someone I like does me for free.

Greetings to your ladyboy ????

(a little bit of comic relief won't kill anyone)

[LaosLover]

6 minutes ago, cooked said:

I would be doing very well in my home town in Switzerland on that kind of money. 

VERY silly question, but maybe the OP never went abroad before apart from annual two week holidays?

Yeah, in your HOME TOWN, where you live as a local and have some kind of subsidized, sweet euro-socialist deal or other, you'd be living large. You know where the discount fondue is, am I right?

 

Me in Switzerland? Less plush, more expensive. My financial situation need not be interpreted as a personal affront to you. It's just so Euro.

 

My average trip to Southeast Asia has been in the 4-6 week range, with an outlier 6 months stay in Laos for a research thing I did. I know what things cost in general, but I never did anything higher end then the Marriot Buffet on Suk Road. OK, shoot me, I had the beverage supplement with it.

 

 

[Thailand]

Live in the sticks of Chiang Mai rent a nice three bed bungalow with garden that er indoors loves.

Drink mainly Chardonnay or Merlot as the mood takes, dine out on occasion but prefer home cooking.

Play golf three times a week. Support 2 of us, 2 dogs and a Cockatoo. Run a decentwell kep 4x4.

Less than 60K per month.

[sanuk711]

 

Anyway -- I think he has got the general idea---- Yes he should get by on it....................

 

 

BTW LaosLover -is your wife Thai ??

 

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by sanuk711

[cooked]

4 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

 

 

Me in Switzerland? Less plush, more expensive. My financial situation need not be interpreted as a personal affront to you. It's just so Euro.

 

... Oh, plush.... I missed that part.

 

 

 

[LaosLover]

4 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

Greetings to your ladyboy ????

(a little bit of comic relief won't kill anyone)

Baron Samadi has been chomping at the bit, dissing me with tons of laughing faces etc. in every third comment. And then, not much of a zinger on the inevitable weigh in. Prob English. Politeness killed more of your lot than Hitler did.

 

My wife is ladyboy obsessed. I had to go to the Caberet show in Pattaya. Too many Tina Turners, but those people are genetically programed to be fake Tina Turners.

[LaosLover]

My wife is way lower status than Thai. She's 10th generation Appalachian. We're glad to be moving to a place where no one knows enough about it to diss it. Mexico has been good that way