Why do people move to Thailand and Complain How Much Things Cost?

[radiochaser]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:59 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

i like my women like my beer--cold n bitter!

I like my women too.  I just don't like beer!  

[radiochaser]

On 6/26/2022 at 1:05 PM, vinci said:

dude, a full tank of gas cost me almost 2,400baht 

Here in the U.S., last month, I had to fill up tanks on three different vehicles.   Fortunately the two vehicles that had the largest tanks, 31 gallons and 50 gallons, were only half empty.

13,908 baht!

[Mac Mickmanus]

9 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Here in the U.S., last month, I had to fill up tanks on three different vehicles.   Fortunately the two vehicles that had the largest tanks, 31 gallons and 50 gallons, were only half empty.

13,908 baht!

Thanks for that info

[radiochaser]

18 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $2000-3800 a month. That is 120,000 baht!

 

When I travel here, I can stay in a very nice 4 star hotel for under 2,000 baht, in Bangkok. In the US now, hotels are up to $300 to $500 a nite! 

 

I had my motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $800 and up.

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $800 and up.

 

A friend of mine paid $1,500 to get his tree trimmed in LA recently. I just paid 1,000 baht to get several trees and my entire garden trimmed, and that included hauling everything away. 

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 200-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

And I get attitude for leaving a $15 or $20 tip. Here, I get nothing but gratitude for a 20-40 baht tip. Recently I was in the US and wanted to order from a delivery service. Besides the meal costing $45 for two dishes, tax and delivery service fees was well over $14. So, $59 for two dishes? I made a sandwich instead of engaging in that foolishness. 

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2000 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking woman with an attitude problem.

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada.

 

A quote from a friend recently in the US:

 

My neighbor told me she got a quote for a wood fence around her house. It was around $8,800 ($2800 for the materials, labor (2 days), $6,000. 2 days at 8 hours a day = 16 hours of labor)

 

For $6,000 labor/16 hours that works out to be around $375 an hour labor.

 

Another neighbor got some quotes to get the outside of his house painted. Average quote was around $5,000. He bought all the paint and supplies for $1500. Labor $3,500 and the house would have been finished in 1 day.

 

$3,500 divided by 8 hours of labor = $437 an hour to paint a one story ranch house.

 

So, expensive is very relative. Thailand is still reasonable. 

 

Wife and I want to build a custom designed house.   Original estimate 1 1/2 years ago, $350,000.00.   Now, after covid and other issues, $750,000.00!

[Mac Mickmanus]

4 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Wife and I want to build a custom designed house.   Original estimate 1 1/2 years ago, $350,000.00.   Now, after covid and other issues, $750,000.00!

Whats the weather like at the moment ?

[radiochaser]

Here is a complaint that might fit in here. 

The family will go to Thailand soon.  3 adults and 2 children (4 Thai and 1 white guy).   The children's mom wants to get travel vaccinations (not covid).    One of the vaccinations suggested for Thailand, by the CDC, is for Japanese Encephalitis.  Two shots per person x 10 = $4,650.00 / 164,482 baht. 

When I told the wife, she says, we are not going to the jungle.  We don't need those!  

 

[radiochaser]

14 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Whats the weather like at the moment ?

Warm and muggy.  South East Pennsylvania.

 

[KhunLA]

15 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Wife and I want to build a custom designed house.   Original estimate 1 1/2 years ago, $350,000.00.   Now, after covid and other issues, $750,000.00!

And ... your point ?

 

Maybe you need a different contractor, as prices for construction hasn't doubled in 2 years.

 

I wouldn't spend $350k for a house, in Thailand or the USA, let alone $750k.

If I had that budget for a new house, I certainly wouldn't be moving to Thailand.

[radiochaser]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

And ... your point ?

 

Maybe you need a different contractor, as prices for construction hasn't doubled in 2 years.

 

I wouldn't spend $350k for a house, in Thailand or the USA, let alone $750k.

If I had that budget for a new house, I certainly wouldn't be moving to Thailand.

Materials cost has sky rocketed. 

It's my wife's dream house, she could afford $350,000.00.  

Edited June 27, 2022 by radiochaser

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, radiochaser said:

Here is a complaint that might fit in here. 

The family will go to Thailand soon.  3 adults and 2 children (4 Thai and 1 white guy).   The children's mom wants to get travel vaccinations (not covid).    One of the vaccinations suggested for Thailand, by the CDC, is for Japanese Encephalitis.  Two shots per person x 10 = $4,650.00 / 164,482 baht. 

When I told the wife, she says, we are not going to the jungle.  We don't need those!  

Agree with wife, you don't need Jap Enc.   And why I have not respect for CDC.  

 

Vaccinations for Thailand, my non medical certified advice, keep your Tetanus current.    The rest are just a money grab IMHO.

 

That's the only 1 that I keep current.  When single, I did get Hep A&B, emphasis on B, since not a fan of condoms.

[KhunLA]

7 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Materials cost has sky rocketed. 

If that's what you think or what people told you, but I don't agree with you.

 

Finishing up a house build now, and 2 years ago, the prices weren't much different, and definitely not half price.

 

Location location location ... but building materials really shouldn't be double elsewhere.

 

Where and how many m², as 10-15k is about average per m².

Edited June 27, 2022 by KhunLA

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It beats me why Australian pensioners are not stampeding to get into Thailand, rents, utilities and food have gone through the roof there.

People are creatures of habit.

 

Before coming to Thailand for a holiday and meeting my wife of 15 years now, I had no idea what life was like outside of working 6-7 days a week to pay a mortgage, a car, child support and raise my now 25 year old daughter on a 50/50 basis with my ex-wife.

 

Once I met my wife, she opened my eyes to what life actually was, I retired 9 years after meeting her at 55, only reason I retired then is because my daughter was only 9 and I wanted to be in her life till she completed her high school, worked out perfectly as my wife lived in Sydney for those 9 years with me and learned a lot, took care of me and my daughter while I kept making the bacon and purchased two more properties because I knew they would give me a little lift when the time came to sell, but didn't expect them to go up as much as they did, so that was a huge bonus.

 

In my journey of life, coming from very humble beginnings, I found out that work is only for survival and without investing in either property or shares or both, or other investment vehicles, life at later years living in Sydney would be a struggle, moving to Thailand made me an instant millionaire many times over, and if I went back to Sydney, I would be playing Lotto and struggling because of the ridiculous property prices and cost of living.

 

Everyone I know back in Oz is complaining, but can't understand that they have options, like I said, creatures of habit, suffice to say I have a mate who is 50, works 6 days a week in his business (just surviving) and said he wanted to buy a unit in Zetland because they just increased his rent on the 2 bedroom unit he is in, from $600 (15,000 baht) per week to $730 (18,250 baht) per week. The unit he was looking at was $1,000,000 (25,000,000) baht.

 

Life for him doesn't look to promising, he has a Thai GF, has been here many times, but moving here for him is just too much to comprehend, suffice to say, I said to him, mate, you are caught up in a trap, (the slave trade) and things are only going to get worse, I have lead you to water, the rest is up to you. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by 4MyEgo

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, radiochaser said:

Here is a complaint that might fit in here. 

The family will go to Thailand soon.  3 adults and 2 children (4 Thai and 1 white guy).   The children's mom wants to get travel vaccinations (not covid).    One of the vaccinations suggested for Thailand, by the CDC, is for Japanese Encephalitis.  Two shots per person x 10 = $4,650.00 / 164,482 baht. 

When I told the wife, she says, we are not going to the jungle.  We don't need those!  

I had NO vaccinations when I came to Thailand.

14 years later, I've caught nothing.

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, radiochaser said:

Wife and I want to build a custom designed house.   Original estimate 1 1/2 years ago, $350,000.00.   Now, after covid and other issues, $750,000.00!

Defy the stupidity. Don't build now. Wait. Prices will correct dramatically and contractors will be begging for work. Never follow the crowd. Especially when demand is so high. If everyone is doing it, do the opposite. 

[radiochaser]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

If that's what you think or what people told you, but I don't agree with you.

 

Finishing up a house build now, and 2 years ago, the prices weren't much different, and definitely not half price.

 

Location location location ... but building materials really shouldn't be double elsewhere.

 

Where and how many m², as 10-15k is about average per m².

Over the last few years, I have occasionally built table tops for restaurants in the Philadelphia PA area.  (I am retired and have the time to do it, when not babysitting grandkids.)   Usually through word of mouth advertising.   My materials cost the last time I did this was $175.00 with 6% tax, for 8 tabletops.   I sold those for $400.00.   

Now,  that same material cost $375.00 plus 6% tax!   Prices of materials have gone up, in some cases, more than 100% what they cost 1 1/2 to 2 years ago.  

I don't need to make tabletops for restaurants.  People liked the ones I made for my wife's restaurant and on finding out I made them asked me to make some for them.  One restaurant told another.   I can make 8 tabletops in 6 hours over a period of 3 or 4 days.  I let the varnish cure for 24 hours between each coat. 

With the cost of materials today, I will not make them.  

I have no idea how many square meters the house would be (not looking for a formula).  About 2700 square feet not counting the garage and workshop.    

[radiochaser]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Defy the stupidity. Don't build now. Wait. Prices will correct dramatically and contractors will be begging for work. Never follow the crowd. Especially when demand is so high. If everyone is doing it, do the opposite. 

My wife is seriously considering remodeling the house we are in now.    Even though we have already paid serious money to the architect.   It would be a lot cheaper than her dream house.  Then do just as you say, wait it out, and when the costs (hopefully, barring an Armageddon event), then using the already drawn blue prints, build the dream house cheaper, then move the grand kids and their mom into the remodeled house and me and the wife move into the dream house.  

I think contractors are trying to find new build work now.  Not to sure about that.  

 

[radiochaser]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I had NO vaccinations when I came to Thailand.

14 years later, I've caught nothing.

I had an STD in 1972 or 1973, two trips ago came back with cryptosporidium, and ... uh ... some other parasite.  Both I suspect came from some unwashed hands after using a toilet and handling food some where I ate.   Could have been micky D's place where I ate a lot of deluxe hamburgers.  

Other than those two times, I don't recall catching any disease over the years since 1988, when I first returned to Thailand and about every year to year and a half visit.   

Being a federal government employee I accrued 8 hours of leave for every 2 week pay period, and the last 10 years I accrued 5 - 20 hours a week of compensation time (I took time off instead of over time pay), so was able to travel to Thailand 4 to 6 weeks at a time. 

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

I had an STD in 1972 or 1973, two trips ago came back with cryptosporidium, and ... uh ... some other parasite.  Both I suspect came from some unwashed hands after using a toilet and handling food some where I ate.   Could have been micky D's place where I ate a lot of deluxe hamburgers.  

More likely swallowing untreated water.

(while swimming or drinking or ice in drinks)

Edited June 28, 2022 by BritManToo

[KhunLA]

22 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Over the last few years, I have occasionally built table tops for restaurants in the Philadelphia PA area.  (I am retired and have the time to do it, when not babysitting grandkids.)   Usually through word of mouth advertising.   My materials cost the last time I did this was $175.00 with 6% tax, for 8 tabletops.   I sold those for $400.00.   

Now,  that same material cost $375.00 plus 6% tax!   Prices of materials have gone up, in some cases, more than 100% what they cost 1 1/2 to 2 years ago.  

I don't need to make tabletops for restaurants.  People liked the ones I made for my wife's restaurant and on finding out I made them asked me to make some for them.  One restaurant told another.   I can make 8 tabletops in 6 hours over a period of 3 or 4 days.  I let the varnish cure for 24 hours between each coat. 

With the cost of materials today, I will not make them.  

I have no idea how many square meters the house would be (not looking for a formula).  About 2700 square feet not counting the garage and workshop.    

TIT ... not Philly

 

2700 sqf = 250 m², the size of my 1st house in Philly metro. 30x30x3 stories ????

 

Personally I wouldn't pay more than ฿5 mill (< $150k) to build that, and that's using a high end of ฿20k per m².

 

I personally have never paid more than ฿10k m² and very happy with the builds.  Does not include the land, and that location location location thingy.

Edited June 28, 2022 by KhunLA

[radiochaser]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

People are creatures of habit.

 

Before coming to Thailand for a holiday and meeting my wife of 15 years now, I had no idea what life was like outside of working 6-7 days a week to pay a mortgage, a car, child support and raise my now 25 year old daughter on a 50/50 basis with my ex-wife.

 

Once I met my wife, she opened my eyes to what life actually was, I retired 9 years after meeting her at 55, only reason I retired then is because my daughter was only 9 and I wanted to be in her life till she completed her high school, worked out perfectly as my wife lived in Sydney for those 9 years with me and learned a lot, took care of me and my daughter while I kept making the bacon and purchased two more properties because I knew they would give me a little lift when the time came to sell, but didn't expect them to go up as much as they did, so that was a huge bonus.

 

In my journey of life, coming from very humble beginnings, I found out that work is only for survival and without investing in either property or shares or both, or other investment vehicles, life at later years living in Sydney would be a struggle, moving to Thailand made me an instant millionaire many times over, and if I went back to Sydney, I would be playing Lotto and struggling because of the ridiculous property prices and cost of living.

 

Everyone I know back in Oz is complaining, but can't understand that they have options, like I said, creatures of habit, suffice to say I have a mate who is 50, works 6 days a week in his business (just surviving) and said he wanted to buy a unit in Zetland because they just increased his rent on the 2 bedroom unit he is in, from $600 (15,000 baht) per week to $730 (18,250 baht) per week. The unit he was looking at was $1,000,000 (25,000,000) baht.

 

Life for him doesn't look to promising, he has a Thai GF, has been here many times, but moving here for him is just too much to comprehend, suffice to say, I said to him, mate, you are caught up in a trap, (the slave trade) and things are only going to get worse, I have lead you to water, the rest is up to you. 

Darn, I am paying 63,565 Baht a month for the mortgage on  my house here in the U.S.  and that is because I am paying an additional 17,657 baht a month more to the principle of the loan.   

A new RAM pickup truck would cost me more than what I owe on the house now after 16 years.  Last time I priced a RAM, earlier this year, the truck I was interested in cost 2,472,471 baht.   I would rather fix the one I have if it breaks down!

 

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Darn, I am paying 63,565 Baht a month for the mortgage on  my house here in the U.S.  and that is because I am paying an additional 17,657 baht a month more to the principle of the loan. 

I pay 9,000bht/month on the mortgage for my woman's house in Thailand.

I get nice views too ........

[LaosLover]

I think this board skews older.

 

I remember my father going on about how he remembered when a hot dog cost a dime.

 

I vowed never to turn into him.

[radiochaser]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

More likely swallowing untreated water.

(while swimming or drinking or ice in drinks)

Could have been iced coffee.   Otherwise I don't drink water with ice in it.   I did swim in a pool at my nephews condo complex.  
Thanks for the tip.  May have been the pool, with adults and kids in it.  

After getting some tests, I was called the by head of the health department for the the county I live asked if I had any kids in nurseries.  When I asked why that question, she told me that is where most adults catch the parasites, from the little buggers with leaking diapers.  

Now that I am thinking again, it could have been giardia and cryptosporidium.  

[RafPinto]

On 6/26/2022 at 10:00 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

Just for some clarification, who are the people complaining about ten Baht price rises ?

John, ex CIA

Matt, ex lawyer

Paul, ex NBA pro

Jayden, ex fighter jet pilot.

All members of the soi 6 expat complain association.

[RafPinto]

On 6/26/2022 at 10:05 PM, FalangKino said:

Because they are bitter old men who think they should be living like millionaires here while on 500 quid a month pensions

Nice picture you have.
Are you from Liverpool?

[radiochaser]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I pay 9,000bht/month on the mortgage for my woman's house in Thailand.

I get nice views too ........

Ooooooohhhh!   You know how to stick a knife in and twist it doncha!?!?!? LOL  .. That is beautiful.   

I grew up a country boy, my Thai wife is a city girl.   I am not sure she would like living way out there. 

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Ooooooohhhh!   You know how to stick a knife in and twist it doncha!?!?!? LOL  .. That is beautiful.   

I grew up a country boy, my Thai wife is a city girl.   I am not sure she would like living way out there. 

12Km from Chiang Mai city center, not way out anywhere.

[spidermike007]

8 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I think this board skews older.

 

I remember my father going on about how he remembered when a hot dog cost a dime.

 

I vowed never to turn into him.

My grandfather told me during the late 1920's or early 30's, it was two people for a nickle, to get into the movies. Since he rarely had 3 cents, he would wait around for a fortunate kid with 3 cents, and they would go in together. 

[radiochaser]

7 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I think this board skews older.

 

I remember my father going on about how he remembered when a hot dog cost a dime.

 

I vowed never to turn into him.

I remember when hot dogs cost a dime.   I also remember in Thailand when a bowl of noodle soup and a coke cost 35 cents and cowphat was 50 cents / 10 baht, when the baht was 20 to the dollar, bungalow's where I was stationed at in Thailand could be bought for $600.00 / 12,000 baht (teakwood built too), it cost $35.00 / 700 baht to take a taxi down to Bangkok.

Oh the good old days.   There are a lot I like about the good new days though. 

[radiochaser]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

12Km from Chiang Mai city center, not way out anywhere.

Well OK then.  Wife has talked about buying property outside of Chiang Mai.  She knows people up there.