How to retire in Thailand

[Rob Browder]

On 9/28/2024 at 9:47 AM, JimTripper said:

My point is, that many of these guys who live in the shoebox rooms use denial as a waybof coping with the situation. Trying to trick their mind into being happy with it.

Sounds like someone trying to "cope with" / "trick their mind" into thinking other people find satisfaction in the same things - and push up their ego by feeling superior.

 

I've lived big/small, high/low floors, etc - here and my home-country - and it never made a difference to me.  Any "improvements" on such superficialities were only EVER made to satisfy a woman's desires.

 

Are there "must haves"?   Fresh-air is a must.  A sea-view, and can walk to the ocean is nice.  Bangkok is a fun place to live, but the air-quality and heat-island effect (hot all night) are not to my taste.  YMMV.

 

The most important thing is what occupies my time / mind, and who with.  If THOSE suck, so does everything else. 

 

Every year of my life wasted doing things I didn't enjoy for money was a waste of life - aside from saving to quit for good - and I definitely would advise anyone NOT to waste more of their irreplaceable and unknown-quantity life-years to have a "bigger room." 

[JimTripper]

4 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

Sounds like someone trying to "cope with" / "trick their mind" into thinking other people find satisfaction in the same things - and push up their ego by feeling superior.

They guys I have heard talk about it don't seem to care what other people think at all. When the subject came up they just say it's great and are unwilling to accept any possible negatives, including walking away if I persisted. It's not about convincing other people a small ratty room or crappy building is great.

 

I can give Nirun in Pattaya as an example. With guys getting drunk down at those corner bars. One mention of the living situation and it's all hunky dory with no drawbacks whatsoever (even though everyone knows those rooms suck and that building sucks).

Edited 11 hours ago by JimTripper

[Rob Browder]

3 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I can give Nirun in Pattaya as an example. With guys getting drunk down at those corner bars. One mention of the living situation and it's all hunky dory with no drawbacks whatsoever (even though everyone knows those rooms suck and that building sucks).

I looked but didn't rent at Nirun, because the price wasn't great for what it was - but the room I looked at wasn't "bad."  The building was clean (then, at least - maybe its worse now).  There was another project which was dirt-cheap but filthy, hard-NO on that one.

 

Some people's life-enjoyment is not affected much by their room - not only hard-drinkers, but some of them fit the category.  

 

If you tripled my budget, I would not move to a bigger room than I have now - can think of other spending priorities - like travel to more parts of Thailand and SE Asia.  The phrase "feed your head" comes to mind - but not in the druggy manner referenced by the Jefferson Airplane tune. 

[1tent42]

I live in a 35m² condo with my wife in Bangkok.  It's plenty of space for us.  Very much easy to clean. My wife doesn't want to live in a bigger place and I'm very much fine with that.  We don't own a lot of things.  But we have everything we need.  Maybe if I can figure out how to ride a road bike safely in the city I'd look into more space for bike storage.  

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, 1tent42 said:

I live in a 35m² condo with my wife in Bangkok.  It's plenty of space for us.  Very much easy to clean. My wife doesn't want to live in a bigger place and I'm very much fine with that.  We don't own a lot of things.  But we have everything we need.  Maybe if I can figure out how to ride a road bike safely in the city I'd look into more space for bike storage.  

I could not live on 35 indoor space without balcony with view, and large storage place to things. Especially in Bangkok.

 

Do you or your wife work? 

[Mike Teavee]

 

12 minutes ago, 1tent42 said:

I live in a 35m² condo with my wife in Bangkok.  It's plenty of space for us.  Very much easy to clean. My wife doesn't want to live in a bigger place and I'm very much fine with that.  We don't own a lot of things.  But we have everything we need.  Maybe if I can figure out how to ride a road bike safely in the city I'd look into more space for bike storage.  

 

Size isn't that important (or so the GF says 😛) but I couldn't live anywhere with her that didn't have at least 2 bathrooms! 

 

Aside from that, location is my main consideration... Couldn't live out in the sticks as I no longer drive (license expired 11 years ago) & don't like living in the middle of busy towns (Though On Nut wasn't too bad) but do need to be close to a major town for all the usual amenities, I found Wongamat meets my requirements as best they can be met in Thailand.  

Edited 2 hours ago by Mike Teavee

[1tent42]

9 minutes ago, Hummin said:

I could not live on 35 indoor space without balcony with view, and large storage place to things. Especially in Bangkok.

 

Do you or your wife work? 

I'm retired.  My wife still works. 

 

Our condo has floor to ceiling windows, a tiny balcony where we hang dry our clothes,  and has fantastic views of the city.

 

4 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Aside from that, location is my main consideration... Couldn't live out in the sticks as I no longer drive (license expired 11 years ago) & don't like living in the middle of busy towns (Though On Nut wasn't too bad) but do need to be close to a major town for all the usual amenities, I found Wongamat meets my requirements as best they can be met in Thailand.  

 

Location is my main consideration as well.  I would want to be close to amenities and accessible to public transportation which is were I am now.  I absolutely hate driving in Bangkok.  I fixed this by not getting a driver license. I'm glad it doesn't bother my wife at all.

[Celsius]

On 9/28/2024 at 9:13 AM, JimTripper said:

They act like they like it and don't care about the shoebox room. I think it's just denial or financial difficulty. It was even worse in Cambodia.

 

Me and wife live in a 45sqm chicken farm condo next to BTS. The condo is convenient for my wife to get to work. My wife also owns a fully paid 4 storey house on Rama II. 

 

I love living in a chicken farm condo and would never live in her 300sqm house. Easy to clean, easy to get to the gym easy to buy essentials (both 7/11 and starbucks inside the building). Grab delivers all kind of yummy food. Room on the same floor as gym and pool, so never stuck with the machines. If my wife did not need a car for work, we would have gotten rid of that too. 

 

OMG we are suffering. 

[Hummin]

26 minutes ago, 1tent42 said:

I'm retired.  My wife still works. 

 

Our condo has floor to ceiling windows, a tiny balcony where we hang dry our clothes,  and has fantastic views of the city.

 

 

Location is my main consideration as well.  I would want to be close to amenities and accessible to public transportation which is were I am now.  I absolutely hate driving in Bangkok.  I fixed this by not getting a driver license. I'm glad it doesn't bother my wife at all.

Do you have a rooftop, swimmingpool and gym?

 

I'm spoiled now, but I have lived in 35m2 appartment in Hua Hin 8. Floor, with corner view and 14m2 balcony. A balcony I could  sit outside even when it was a moderate rain fall. Great to start the day peacefully with a cup of coffe. 

 

Is It temporary because wife working, or this is it? 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Hummin

[1tent42]

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Do you have a rooftop, swimmingpool and gym?

 

I'm spoiled, but I have lived in 35m2 appartment in Hua Hun 8. Floor, with corner view and 14m2 balcony I could actually sit outside on even when it was a moderate rain fall. Great to start the day peacefully with a cup of coffe. 

 

Itnis temporary because wife working, or this is it? 

 

 

It has a rooftop, swimming pool and a gym.  I rarely go to the rooftop. No good can come from being that high up.  But I do laps almost daily at the pool.

 

I suppose this is temporary as we plan to move to the US in a couple of years.  My wife owns this condo so she plans to rent it out after we leave.  I would rather keep this condo empty and come back to it whenever we visit.