Moving To Thailand With £100k

[Moe]

If you really want to get a decent, well paying job in Thailand it's best to apply for a position from the UK with companies that do business here rather than coming to Bangkok and trying to find a job on the ground; it sounds good in theory but in practise it's very difficult without contacts and experience. An MBA should greatly help your prospects and you could even study Thai in the UK at the same time. I firmly believe that this is by far the best way to go careerwise.

If living in Thailand is more of a priority than a career then I suggest you invest your money offshore (stocks,bonds,fixed interest,managed funds,property etc) and live here off the interest/income. However if you plan to live in Bangkok and enjoy city activities and nightlife then I think you will struggle to earn enough interest to live off that amount without putting your money into high risk/return investments. Either way I do not recommend you invest in any business in Thailand within your first year at least.

Summary: If it's a career you're after then apply from home with an international company. If you're not fussed on your career then determine what your living expenses will be here and invest your money (not in Thailand) in a way that suits your risk tolerance level. You could get an English teaching job or dabble in something internet based for some pocket money if you wanted.

Good luck. The most important thing is that you already have a lump sum so it's a matter of preserving and/or building on what you have. It'll get clearer as you go along and you'll find a way to do what you want.

[DisainaM]

beside the job planning, between the lines, you are looking for some time of your life, where you end up in a relation with a thai woman.

The hope of a family life, the fear, that you miss the time window for it, are strong motivations, if you can`t live alone for the long time.

Whats the value of money, if your youth fades away, and you missed importand relationship experience, that can cause the total loss of everything, if you start in the late 40s.

If you choose money and security, stay in England and finish your education.

If you choose relationship experience, and learning by doing in thai relationships, come to Thailand,

but be ready for the day, when you will run out of money.

[jimmym40]

I totally agree with jetjock, reply as above. I second his thoughts and observations. I know of many farangs in Thailand that had high hopes as you think, but never materialized.

Work hard a few more years, continue coming to Thailand on holiday, and then plan for your retirement.

[Zeid]

if you want to make a little fortune in thailand come witha big one

[nick2k]

if you need to ask other people for their advice on whether or not to come over, then, you are not ready to do so. when I made the decision to do so, it came from within. so, the big question is - is every waking moment spent thinking of being in thailand?

[Fred Sanford]

I'm glad I never visited Thailand until age 40 so that I didn't contract yellow fever during my 20s and 30s, which were prime earning years for me. Sounds like the OP has come down with this disease which can make one quite miserable away from LOS. The only known cure is landing in BKK

[Jersey_UK]

What about a compromise?

Maybe make BKK also your base (rent a cheap apartment for B5-10k a month) and try and expand your existing business interests into being more Asia focused - sounds like you already have an intro into Malaysia)..........and use BKK as a cheap base to do business from / travel around asia. Once in BKK / Asia you may find that your business interests change as contacts are made and opportunities arise...........

If you have any down time workwise spend it in BKK and then get stuck into the Thai (and maybe the MBA?)........and then just see how things go..........if you are in and out of Thailand regularly as part of business then Visas do not become such a hassle.

The holy grail if living in Thailand is earning in proper money and spending in Baht...........not the other way around

PS with a £100k how come you do not have property in outer mongolia? (or is that being realised next year?!)

[PeaceBlondie]

If I understand the original poster's present situation, he does not have a formal degree, he does not have 100K sterling at this time, and he's making big bucks currently, probably in property sales, which is not a permanent job. He wants to earn an online MBA (without even having a BA, right?), where you don't network with other MBA candidates. I think he's dreaming. That's all; it's just a pipe dream. But, I'm often mistaken.

If I'm not mistaken and this is the situation: stay in the UK, get formal education, and don't try to make a fortune in Thailand.

[Khun ?]

You seem much smarter than your friends who are a baht a dozen now days in Thailand. No doubt you will

be getting a request for help soon enough. Look back 5 years in Thailand and you can see the changes that

have taken place and then think of 5 more years what will it be. The bugs are being shaken out of the rug every day

in Thailand.

Wait for the changes and until your at least 50 to join the just get by stopped working foreigners.

You most likely will live to 80 and 30 years of living on a small budget will be plenty enough.

[qwertz]

Another bloody dreamer.

[Jimmyd]

Another bloody dreamer.

Nothing worse than having a dream.

[Prakanong]

HTE

I do not know you but could say I could never do my MBA distance learning. Its classroom all the way for me - as one poster said above its the networking and contacts plus the case studies / group work are invaluable IMO.

Yes you can do a top 20 UK school ie Strathclyde or Durham etc distance learningand its the same certificate as being there but you do miss out on a lot. Which top 20 schools let you in without previous qualifications?

Experience can count for a lot but evidence of previous study prior to embarking on a Masters degree should be demonstrated I would have thought.

My Thai colleague is looking at Sasin at the moment and she said its about 1 million THB - is that not an option for you if its a Thai job you want the networking will be invaluable.

Why so desparate to do it in Thailand?

Try Singapore - many of the main UK scools are here at 50% of the price of the same course in the UK (eg Birmingham is 16500GBP in the UK and 24500 SGD in Singapore) You can actually take some courses in Hong Kong, Mauritious and the UK too.

Most of the MBA's down here do fly over staff from their own country ie USA, UK, Australia.

As there is such competition in Singapore the prices are quite competative as I said - ranging from 160,000 SGD at the top end for INSEAD and Chicago Business School all the way down to 20500 SGD for a pretty good UK school but whose name is not world famous ie Hull.

Most of them are modular so its an intensive 7-11 days with classes each night on weekdays and all day Sat and Sunday.

I can not answer if the MBA plus Thai will get you the 100,000THB a month - I know what we pay our non-MBA Thai staff but that is no guide for your situation.

[Prakanong]

If I understand the original poster's present situation, he does not have a formal degree, he does not have 100K sterling at this time, and he's making big bucks currently, probably in property sales, which is not a permanent job. He wants to earn an online MBA (without even having a BA, right?), where you don't network with other MBA candidates. I think he's dreaming. That's all; it's just a pipe dream. But, I'm often mistaken.

If I'm not mistaken and this is the situation: stay in the UK, get formal education, and don't try to make a fortune in Thailand.

Pretty much spot on regarding no previous learning in a higher education setting plus the fact of no networking etc.

Its not just the valuable contacts you make but the team working, support and just the general banter with other in the same position that are missing.

You learn about a lot of other business's while in contact asmany come from a wide rang of industries.

If I ws to receive a CV from someone who did what is effect a part time course while spending full time on it it would raise questions ie others do this with a full time job and family.

I am not saying do not do it but just think about the distance learning a lot more - you need the discipline of a Monk to do an MBA in this fashion and do not get the most from it.

Edited July 9, 2007 by Prakanong

[slapout]

Dear howtoescape: I think your plan is fantastic and wish I could be a part but that is not possible as I am too old and those young things seem to look at me as a grandfather figure instead of in the way I dream about. This said I think I can point you in the direction you are looking for. Contact Gonzo the face on the Chiang Mai forum, he is well versed in Thai living and may even have something like you are looking for in the investment area, the fringe benifits that go along which you mentioned I am not sure about but talk with Gonzo or Blinky Bill on this forum. This is not a commercial advert but just a contact point for you to look at, we have Thai schools avaliabe as well as universities where you can get just about any degree you would require, to fill out a CV. On our good days you can get info and encourgement if you are patient. have a good day> slapout