How Long From First Trip To Expat?

[Jingthing]

Thought this would be a fun topic.

I first came to Thailand eight years ago. I knew the first trip that I wanted to retire in Thailand. I thought it would take me twenty years to accomplish that. Instead, here I am moved, fully settled here eight years later.

[tominchaam]

73-81 I spent at least one week a month here for business and enjoyed it a lot. When I many years later had the opportunity to have an early retirement I moved here. From the beginning to spend half my time here but since ten years it is full time. I still enjoy it a lot and I know many other farangs in simular situation do the same. If they would be active in forums like this one I think those negative to Thailand would be in minority. This does not mean everything is perfect - but a perfect place is nothing I would look for.

[sbk]

I came to Thailand as a tourist 19 years ago, this December. Came back a month later, fell in love, got married 9 months later (time period not significant ) and have not lived permanently in the US since.

So, I guess time between first trip and staying permanently would be about one month

[Prakanong]

Thought this would be a fun topic.

I first came to Thailand eight years ago. I knew the first trip that I wanted to retire in Thailand. I thought it would take me twenty years to accomplish that. Instead, here I am moved, fully settled here eight years later.

Good topic

It was about 4 years 8 months from my first visit to when I moved to work there and left around 14 months later

From my first visit to second was about a year - then 8 months at which point some people said I would be there before long as I was following a pattern they had.

It was still a while and 6 more trips over the next few years before I moved there.

I have spent more time in Thailand since leaving in total though in the last few years!

[RueFang]

I came to Thailand as a tourist 19 years ago, this December. Came back a month later, fell in love, got married 9 months later (time period not significant ) and have not lived permanently in the US since.

So, I guess time between first trip and staying permanently would be about one month

I could almost put the same post as you SBK!! I came here as a tourist, fell in love, got married 9 months later (time period not significant - when you know, you know ) and have stayed here 3 years and counting!! Time period - never left so can't really distinguish the transition!

[Who, me ?]

Came for the first time around 1995. Moved here 1999. I knew after the very first day of my first trip that I wanted to come back and live here. I came more and more often, longer and longer, until I convinced my boss that I'd be more efficient from here.....No plan to go back to my country of origin

[Dr. Burrito]

I came over the first time in 1989 for a wedding party of some Thai friends in Los Angeles. I fell in love with the place, but life and work got in the way until 2002.

I've been here since then.

Dr. B

[PeaceBlondie]

I first set foot on Asian soil, in Bangkok. About 12 days later, in Chiang Mai, I decided to move. Good move.

[Luckydog]

Went to Spain for a Holiday in 1999. Hated it. Snotty unfriendly Catalans UGH!

A mate said if I wanted friendly peeps to go to Thailand. I did in 2000. Loved it.....

Came back many times. Then in 2004 got Married to a lovely Thai Lady. Sold up in the UK and prepared to stay in LOS. I was away for about 5months selling my house, boat etc.

When I go back, the Missus was two months pregnant!

A story of Pattaya Folk.........Still like it here with my new Partner though.

Wont go back to cold, miserable old UK.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Luckydog

[sungod]

Not quite sure if I can answer that one accurately. First came in 88, loved it and came back 3 to 4 times a year until the mid 90's, when the holidays seemed to become a little longer and suddenly found myself buying tickets in the opposite direction for 'holidays in the uk!'

[Filer]

For me too Bangkok and Thailand was my first experience of Asia.. This was 29 years ago, on a vacation trip when I was working in the Middle East. I think that my wife (farang) and I fell in love with the place on that first trip. Since then we've spent several weeks in Thailand every year and, although we've travelled a lot around all the rest of SE Asia, it became clear to us very early on that this would be the only place we would retire to. Careers and business have forced us to remain just visitors for these last 29 years, but this year we're retiring and finally making the permanent move to Thailand.

[Khun ?]

( quote)

(Wont go back to cold, miserable old UK.)

You will not have to, most of miserable UK folks are now in thailand.

[StateSix]

1st trip to Thailand January 2004. 6 months later came again. 9 months later offered a job here. 1 year and 1 day later I moved here.

[jumnien]

Thailand came to me in 1995. Ajahn Jumnien of Wat Tham Seau temple in Krabi came to Spirit Rock Meditation Center in N. California to teach vipassana meditation. Thailand came to me again as he returns every year to teach for a week in May. In 1997, he invited me to come to Thailand to stay at his temple. I stayed in Asia for 5 months on a spiritual journey/backpacking trip. Loved it. Came again on 4 month trips and moved here in 1999 for good. Married Siam Commercial Bank teller in 2003, son born in 2005.

[nidge]

I think perhaps i have the record for expat conversion. I was working in the middle east and tired of living in the UK. I called my boss and told him i wanted to live in another country. He asked where and i haqve no idea why but i blurted out "Bangkopk". I had never been to the far east before. 5 days after the phone call my bags were packed and i was on a plane to Thailand. That was 6 1/2 years ago and i have been here ever since. My only regret was not coming earlier.

[soundman]

Came to Thailand on a holiday in '95. Met my wife to be in Australia in '96. (Thai experience of first holiday must have sunk in! ) Moved to live in Thailand in 2001. Been home twice in six years.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[soic]

My Romanian wife of 7 years and I decided that we were getting a divorce and I didn't have any other place to go. My best friend had bugged me for years to go to Thailand with him and I refused because I just knew it was a "naughty" place. Since I had found out I was getting the divorce and he was killed here in Iraq I figured.... "what the heck". I was only in Thailand a few days when I decided that this was the place I wanted to spend the rest of my life, besides here at work. I started making plans and developing ideas from that point on. Now it's 4 years later, I have the best woman in all of Thailand as my wife, a wonderful home and the neatest pick up truck in the world. I can't wait for the day that I can finally stay home for good... it's getting closeer all the time.

[dukkha]

First visit was in 1999, came back again within a year, knew I had caught the bug, not

mosquito, came back a third time in 2000, two suitcases in hand, went back to Austraia

four times in 7 years...am happy enough to call LOS home now...I will always be a

stranger wherever I am... Dukkha

[retiredusn]

Came over to visit friends for two weeks, the wife and I went back to the US sold our house in three days and were back here in one month, "That was four years ago.

[wadsy]

I came to Thailand in September 06 for two weeks to meet a wonderful lady and suss out my urge to live in asia and was totally addicted. Came back around six weeks later for a month then went back, sorted out my house sale etc in Australia and 'semi retired' in February this year and I have been here ever since but still have a business in Oz generating income. I absolutely love it here and have no desire to return back home. I am 48 and glad I made the decision to live here.

[funfun]

Came over to visit friends for two weeks, the wife and I went back to the US sold our house in three days and were back here in one month, "That was four years ago.

came here holiday sept 2005, still here!

go home when, and if, i fall out with here!

but at mo still suits!

[draggons]

Came in 2004, fell in love with the place. Now have my own buisness. No intention of ever leaving.

[mrtoad]

First visited Thailand in 1990 -first summer hols of my Fresher year at Uni, frequently travelled to SE Asia to visit friends and then business. Met my GF just over 5 years ago at a friends wedding, got a little serious and she moved to the UK for 11 months with me. Started to get a little fed up with work, the weather and the direction of British society so decided on the spur of ther moment to just relocate. I think it was my Mum who had the biggest problem with adjusting to me living in Thailand. I have a nice lifestyle, a lovely girlfriend and a beautiful daughter.

I have now been here two years, and although I sometimes miss some of the aspects of my old job and Cornwall I am perfectly happy here. Hopefully someday soon, I'll land a job that I really enjoy and then things will be perfect for me and my family.

[terry57]

its sensational to read all these success story's and to all you guys, i salute you.

i first come here 20 years and knew strait up that one day i would be here full time.

but because of my sensational job and ability to travel here every 5 months, ive hung in there at home building my wealth for a cracking retirement.

think of los everyday im at home and im very close to moving here full time.

3 more years and its all over.

ill be moving strait into a top condo, getting a nice thai girlfriend like you fellas and live happily ever after.

be using bangkok as my base, have a heap of money to live the good life, got a few good friends around the place and will be indulging in my passion for scuba diving and happy times.

the most important thing is to associate with winners and ones a winner himself. avoid people with multiple problems as thats contagous and very depressing.

thank you very much.

[Nibor1945]

5 holidays in 4 years, decided on the 3rd holiday. Ex pat for 12 very short years, still no regrets about my decision.

[mrtoad]

its sensational to read all these success story's and to all you guys, i salute you.

i first come here 20 years and knew strait up that one day i would be here full time.

but because of my sensational job and ability to travel here every 5 months, ive hung in there at home building my wealth for a cracking retirement.

think of los everyday im at home and im very close to moving here full time.

3 more years and its all over.

ill be moving strait into a top condo, getting a nice thai girlfriend like you fellas and live happily ever after.

be using bangkok as my base, have a heap of money to live the good life, got a few good friends around the place and will be indulging in my passion for scuba diving and happy times.

the most important thing is to associate with winners and ones a winner himself. avoid people with multiple problems as thats contagous and very depressing.

thank you very much.

Terry, agreed....because more often than not we always here the bad side of things.

I wouldn't be smug enough to say that I haven't made some mistakes along the way, and if I was less impulsive I would have stayed in the UK for a few more years and built myself up a real nice nest egg. But, hey as the Talk Talk song goes " Lifes what you make it". Ain't that true?

[eek]

Im a county hopping nomad from time to time. Got fed up where i was (London at that time), set my mind on Asia and although i had never visited, packed up my stuff ready to try out living in LOS. Came end of October last year and been here since. So far, so good, but likely to move on in a few years. Or not. Maybe LOS will hold me. For now, I still havent found home, still searching away.

[lazeeboy]

Im a county hopping nomad from time to time. Got fed up where i was (London at that time), set my mind on Asia and although i had never visited, packed up my stuff ready to try out living in LOS. Came end of October last year and been here since. So far, so good, but likely to move on in a few years. Or not. Maybe LOS will hold me. For now, I still havent found home, still searching away.

came to thailand ocfober 1995 stay was for 3 weeks ,went home for mothers funeral september 1998 for 3 days not been back since ,i think i qualify as an ex pat

[canuckamuck]

I had to decide to come here to live before I had even seen the place. That was in 2003. It turns out that I love it and I can't imagine going back home for more than a visit; I hope I never have to.

[villagefarang]

First came here in 75 as a young horny kid. Came back 3 more times in the next 12 months. You know, hormones and all. Moved here soon after graduation in 77. Been here ever since.