Leaving to go to Thailand too young

[Goat]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

my parents stayed in jobs 30/40 years and I bet some of you have too.

What a sad miserable life.

I moved here in my 30s.

My only regret is i didnt do it 5 years earlier. I could have but was too cautious financially. I didnt need such a big buffer.

 

[Chris Daley]

The retirement age is 66 now.  Might as well just enjoy life and spend the money.  You can work every day of your life and not have enough to buy a house.  The cost of living doesn't equate to saving money when you are young.

[Sheryl]

I don't think there is any problem with coming to live in Thailand while young  per se. 

 

What is a problem, and I see it all the time on this forum, is retiring too young, based on current exchange rates and current cost of living in Thailand (usually not including future medical costs or health insurance or for that matter any other potential emergency into the mix). And on whatever the current financial requirements for retirement extensions was. 

 

The implicit assumptions that exchange rates won't change for the worse,  that cost of living will stay much the same, and that immigration rules won't change, are deeply flawed as many have found out. By the time they find this out it is too late to get back in the workforce.

 

Of course there are some independently wealthy people with large enough nest eggs to retire early. But the more usual scenario is a fixed old age pension and limited savings which, as cost of living rises and exchange rates fluctuate, lead to being ensconced here without adequate means and having difficulty meeting immigration requirements.

 

I would also add, also problematic is those who completely sever all ties to their home country, leaving themselves with no exit plan when/if they need to return for medical care or because (due to above mentioned factors) they can no longer afford to live in Thailand.

 

 

[georgegeorgia]

8 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

In don't think there is any problem with coming to live in Thailand while young  per se. 

 

What is a problem, and I see it all the time on this forum, is retiring too young, based on current exchange rates and current cost of living in Thailand (usually not including future medical costs or health insurance or for that matter any other potential emergency into the mix). And on whatever the current financial requirements for retirement extensions was. 

 

The implicit assumptions that exchange rates won't change for the worse,  that cost of living will stay much the same, and that immigration rules won't change, are deeply flawed as many have found out. By the time they find this out it is too late to get back in the workforce.

 

 

Absolutely!

They don't plan for inflation and even emergency!

Things change ,times change 

 

Many came to Thailand on high currency exchange,it didn't last !

 

 

But the question is to all of you ,

 

if that was your son or daughter that at that age living in farangland and in their 20's wanting to move to Thailand surely you would discourage them?

 

What if they had a secure job and they were going to give up their career to do it ?

 

Surely you would be disappointed 

Edited October 9, 2023 by georgegeorgia

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, bbko said:

I don't know how other country's social security systems work, but in the USA, when you retire, you get back what you paid into.   When I've spoken with some young Americans that wanted to live here (making money under the radar) I'll try to remind them when they're old the monthly payday will be super small.

But when we are young many of us think later in our life we will earn and have so much money that that is no problem anymore.

Until we are old and find out that this didn't really happen. 

[jvs]

I do applaud people like that,willing to give it a go and try.

Everyone has to make their own mistakes and that is the only way to learn.

Not having to buy a new car because the people next door have a new car.

I hope they make it!

 

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

But the question is to all of you ,

 

if that was your son or daughter that at that age living in farangland and in their 20's wanting to move to Thailand surely you would discourage them?

 

What if they had a secure job and they were going to give up their career to do it ?

 

Surely you would be disappointed 

 You are assuming they would not have work in Thailand? Why?

 

And why assume that a move to Thailand at such a young age is going to be permanent?

 

Quite common for young people to come to Thailand for professional reasons.  Might even be a wise career move depending in their field.

 

Also quiet common for young people to take some time out from work or schooling and come as a volunteer (Peace Corps, NGOs etc) or as a teacher. This is temporary and can be quite enriching. I see no problem. They can always go back to farangland and resume their prior careers. Or they may, after this experience, develop a whole new career path.

 

I would be far, far more worried about a 50-60 year old deciding to retire and move to Thailand without substantial wealth to back them up, based on a bare bones calculation that assumes costs here stay the same, currency exchange stays the same, never will have a serious illness or accident, etc.

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

30 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I often wonder how all  these YouTubers make money unless people donate ?

If you have a lot of viewers, YouTube will sell adds on your page and will pay you.

[georgegeorgia]

8 minutes ago, jvs said:

I do applaud people like that,willing to give it a go and try.

Everyone has to make their own mistakes and that is the only way to learn.

Not having to buy a new car because the people next door have a new car.

I hope they make it!

 

Yes I do too !

I applaud them although I feel a bit sorry for them

 

YouTubers "native farang" I'm talking about 

 

Never saw a Thai guy with a real cockney accent until I watched them ????

 

If I was a gambling man though, which I am ,I would bet on them not being there in 5 years 

Why? 

I can't see the caucasian wife wanting to stay in a hot muddy dusty place such as Isaan though especially with children but I applaud them and wish them best of luck ,!!

Edited October 9, 2023 by georgegeorgia

[Denim]

2 hours ago, JAS21 said:

A very searching question, you must’ve searched a long time for that.

 

Keep it up Dan will love you….

I thought he was Dan ????

[OneMoreFarang]

25 minutes ago, Goat said:

What a sad miserable life.

I moved here in my 30s.

My only regret is i didnt do it 5 years earlier. I could have but was too cautious financially. I didnt need such a big buffer.

 

I moved here when I was 30 and I didn't have a buffer.

One big advantage of that situation was that I wasn't one of those new guys in Thailand with money who the girls love so much.

With me they knew I could afford a lady drink or two (I think it was 60 at that time), and that was about it.

Luckily, I was still young and handsome. ???? 

[OneMoreFarang]

18 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

if that was your son or daughter that at that age living in farangland and in their 20's wanting to move to Thailand surely you would discourage them?

Daughter: Stay in farang land, marry a rich guy, be happy ever after. Even if you get divorced there is nothing to worry about.

Son: Get a good education and some experience in farangland, then come to Thailand, get a decent job and enjoy life. 

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

if that was your son or daughter that at that age living in farangland and in their 20's wanting to move to Thailand surely you would discourage them?

My son and daughter are Thai and quite happy here.

 

The 25yo mentioned is also Thai, it's only his white wife that faces problems. Unless she applies for Thai citizenship which she already qualifies for. (Thai husband + Thai kid + family income 15kbht/month)

[Goat]

9 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I moved here when I was 30 and I didn't have a buffer.

One big advantage of that situation was that I wasn't one of those new guys in Thailand with money who the girls love so much.

With me they knew I could afford a lady drink or two (I think it was 60 at that time), and that was about it.

Luckily, I was still young and handsome. ???? 

Got me baffled why being 30 and handsome you thought you needed to buy lady drinks. Thousands of single cute women available to you that were not hookers. especially in Bangkok.

You should have got out more in the real world, much better quality and free.

[OneMoreFarang]

30 minutes ago, Goat said:

Got me baffled why being 30 and handsome you thought you needed to buy lady drinks. Thousands of single cute women available to you that were not hookers. especially in Bangkok.

You should have got out more in the real world, much better quality and free.

Did you spend any time in the Bangkok gogo-bars in the 1990th?

Then you should know that that was a lot of fun.

 

Instead of describing it myself let me quote Stephen Leather, Private Dancer:

PETE
I don't know if it was love at first sight, but it was pretty damn close. She had the longest hair I'd
ever seen, jet black and almost down to her waist. She smiled all the time and had soft brown
eyes that made my heart melt, long legs that just wouldn't quit and a figure to die for. She was
stark naked except for a pair of black leather ankle boots with small chrome chains on the side. I
think it was the boots that did it for me.

 

[Prubangboy]

11 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

stark naked except for a pair of black leather ankle boots with small chrome chains on the side. I
think it was the boots that did it for me.

 

I'll bet those boots were well passed around backstage. Probably still in use.

[SuperSaiyan]

The earlier the better because all the girls get wet just looking at a handsome White fella in his early 20s. How do I know? I was 22 while I moved to Thailand for a couple of years the first time.

 

Don't let anybody stop you, especially not the gatekeeping boomers who love to have you stuck in the hamster wheel like they did for 40 years so you pay their pensions, "son, you have to work 40 years in some bullsh1t job then you can enjoy the fruits of your life when you are in your 60s". Yeah, why don't you shut the f up.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by SuperSaiyan

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

But the question is to all of you ,

 

if that was your son or daughter that at that age living in farangland and in their 20's wanting to move to Thailand surely you would discourage them?

 

What if they had a secure job and they were going to give up their career to do it ?

 

Surely you would be disappointed 

At 28 i could have stayed in Koh Tao and worked as a dive instructor, but I didn't want to throw away a good career in London, i went back, others with little prospects stayed. Glad i went back, i still had good hols every year until i decided to retire, still early.

 

I would say it's likely a mistake to come too young because much more difficult to earn the kind of money you can get in farangland

[johnnybangkok]

As is usual with this type of topic, the devil is in the detail and the detail is in what careers are open to you at an early age in Thailand (Hint: not many).

First of all, foreigners legally should be paid a minimum of 50k per month which immediately rules them out of a great deal of 'starter' jobs. And of course the language becomes a problem if they don't speak Thai, again ruling out a whole swathe of careers. However, there are quite a few that do work well and if the 'youngster' was experienced in these, then Thailand makes absolute sense.

We have already heard from the I.T. guys and the digital nomads, two great careers that pay well (way over the 50k) and don't require fluency in Thai. There's also quite a few careers that require working with other countries (import/export, logistics, buyers etc) and as long as you can tolerate working across time-zones, these can be lucrative and fulfilling. There also seems to be a never ending supply of wealth managers in Thailand, all geared towards the ex-pat market and of course the tourist industry opens up opportunities, but salary may be an issue. Banking, finance and insurance also has a strong, foreign representation. 

So the question of 'When is too young to leave farangland, and if it was your son or daughter at that age would you talk them out of it?' is less to do with age and more to do with skill-set.  

 

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, bbko said:

I don't know how other country's social security systems work, but in the USA, when you retire, you get back what you paid into.   When I've spoken with some young Americans that wanted to live here (making money under the radar) I'll try to remind them when they're old the monthly payday will be super small.

All good points of course, however I wonder how many young Americans want to quickly escape what the USA has become and unfortunately not right now too concerned about the future - worry about that later. 

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

I'll bet those boots were well passed around backstage. Probably still in use.

Not really, all girls had them and the best girls made sure they had the fancy boots.

Then sometime later the girls changed to hooker heels. 

[jcmj]

I moved over here full time when I was 30 in 2000, and it all worked out well. As long as you have a good work ethic and ability to adapt to change, you should be fine. It all depends on the person. I know many people who came here in their 30’s and 40’s and just couldn’t get it right. Spent all their money on girls and partying. To each their own. 

[georgegeorgia]

2 minutes ago, jcmj said:

I moved over here full time when I was 30 in 2000, and it all worked out well. As long as you have a good work ethic and ability to adapt to change, you should be fine. It all depends on the person. I know many people who came here in their 30’s and 40’s and just couldn’t get it right. Spent all their money on girls and partying. To each their own. 

And how have you been surviving between 30 & now?

[Expat68]

I can always remember a good friend of mine many years ago saying to me (now sadly passed away) "Do not come too early, do not come too late". Obviously a little bit of working on the finances is needed but do not over do it

[isandrew]

Is everyone ok?

 

First hes a Thai Citizen surely that would mean he could get a job in the city? Knowing Thai and high quality English is a massive advantage...

Second his Wife has it a lot easier to get Thai citizenship than us males so that's another thing that could be worked out in the future.

 

I just find it funny how everyones talking negative about a native thai moving back to thailand with his family ???? sweating about careers in an age were you can start something up online and earn a lot more than someone who went and got a degree and is sat in debt.

 

Everyone talks about retirement come on look at the west right now tell me my pension would be safe ????

 

I had to create an account and get in on this because im the opposite to most of the oldies on here im 26 and living in Isan 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by isandrew

[transam]

22 hours ago, Goat said:

Got me baffled why being 30 and handsome you thought you needed to buy lady drinks. Thousands of single cute women available to you that were not hookers. especially in Bangkok.

You should have got out more in the real world, much better quality and free.

Our resident expert on girlie bars is giving advice on nice girls......????

[retarius]

On 10/9/2023 at 9:22 AM, georgegeorgia said:

You took a risk ,not sure what you did in your life but to retire at 54 is great ....unless of course your on a disability pension or something 

No not on any disability....I finished college at 24 and worked until I was 54 as a corporate VP in a top US company. By then I had enough money and didn't need any more. Don't get me wrong I don't drive speedboats or anything, or drive Bentleys, but I had plenty for my kids to get a decent inheritance, for my ex-wife to be taken care of and for my Thai partner to be well off for the rest of her life (if she doesn't give it all to the family, of course). I don't need much materially, I lived in the US for 20 years and found that materialism is a totally empty philosophy, people are much happier when they have no financial worries and less happy when they have too much money. 

[Gottfrid]

On 10/9/2023 at 8:25 AM, georgegeorgia said:

these young ones are in the prime of their life ,save that money ,work hard ,build up a bank account before moving !!!

 

That!

[ArnieP]

23 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

YouTubers "native farang" I'm talking about 

 

Never saw a Thai guy with a real cockney accent until I watched them

Native Farang has a Yorkshire, North East England accent which is nothing like a Cockney one.

 

[Gecko123]

1 hour ago, isandrew said:

Is everyone ok?

 

First hes a Thai Citizen surely that would mean he could get a job in the city? Knowing Thai and high quality English is a massive advantage...

Second his Wife has it a lot easier to get Thai citizenship than us males so that's another thing that could be worked out in the future.

 

I just find it funny how everyones talking negative about a native thai moving back to thailand with his family ???? sweating about careers in an age were you can start something up online and earn a lot more than someone who went and got a degree and is sat in debt.

 

Everyone talks about retirement come on look at the west right now tell me my pension would be safe ????

 

I had to create an account and get in on this because im the opposite to most of the oldies on here im 26 and living in Isan .

 

I have this funny feeling you might be the Thai-Aussie guy on the Native Farang channel.

 

I've seen a lot of U-tube videos generated by 20-something 30-something year olds who have moved abroad and think they can support themselves by recording their daily activities and posting it on line. I have my doubts that the couple depicted in the above U-tube channel have the type of high-tech skills that will allow them to generate sustained high income, especially by Western standards. So I'm a little skeptical about these vague 'digital nomad' claims about making money hand over fist all the while sipping lattes at the local coffee shop in the outermost remote regions of Isaan.

 

Subsistence farming. I've been doing this for the past 20 years on a low-key basis, certainly not depending on it to support myself. I know how back-breaking the work is, and as I said earlier, I know there's a very long learning curve. Any physical injury, be it a slipped disk, a motorcycle accident, any impairment that limits your mobility and that lifestyle will come to a screeching halt. Which is a big risk.

 

With the rise of auto translation, and the accelerating spread of English language skills here, the ability to monetize bi-lingual Thai-English skills is diminishing every day. Additionally, were they to remain in Thailand, those bi-lingual skills in all likelihood are not going to be pulling down any six figure monthly salaries, and I'm talking baht here.

 

The couple in the video are engaged in farm labor and have a side hustle U-tube channel, and are raising their kids. As another poster pointed out perhaps they don't plan to do this forever and plan to repatriate to their home country, but chances are that they would pay a steep price economically, educationally for their children, and career path wise in terms of playing catch-up were they ever to repatriate to their home country.

 

I'm not saying 'the road less travelled' isn't the way the go. I'm just saying that there's a lot of risk and I don't have the impression that this has been carefully thought through in very many cases, not just by older retirees, but younger adventurers as well. People can anonymously claim they left for Thailand with little more than $100 to their name 30 years ago and it all worked out "great" but I'm taking that with a big grain of salt. Yes, there are opportunities available today that didn't exist 30 years ago, but in general the expat environment is a lot less friendly than it was 30 years ago.

 

Visa options, visa renewal requirements, relative cost of living between Thailand and home country, relative purchasing power, currency risk, fiat currency stability, attitudes towards immigration and over-tourism, confidence which you can rely on promised pensions, geopolitical tensions and climate change all contribute to the risk that you might have to repatriate in the future. A move abroad often has the magical thinking short term appeal of drastically reducing your cost of living and many are blinded to the reality that while many doors may be opening up, just as many are quietly being shut behind you.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Gecko123