What if you had the chance to do it all over again?

[HugoFastor]

Assuming you’ve been living in Thailand for at least 10 years, are you happy with your choice to live here? 

 

If you could turn the clock back in time then would you make the same decisions again, and why? Or would you have done things completely different?

 

Are you here by choice at this point? And can you leave at any time if you so desire? 

 

Or is is not possible for you to leave at this point because of finances, other commitments, or both, thus forcing you to stay here, either for better or for worse? 

 

If you are bound here by commitments, would you choose to leave immediately if you could?

 

In my case, I’ve been here for quite a long time. The things that brought me here in the first place are not why I remain here now. My life here has definitely been full of interesting experiences. Many good, some bad. And I have no regrets. I would probably also do much of it the same again if I had the choice. 

 

At this point I am free now, with no commitments. I can travel when I want and I can also leave if I decide I would like to do so. I do feel I have a good life here though. So I can’t really complain. There are certainly a few things that I don’t like about the place, mainly the excessively hot weather, air pollution and lack of nature in Bangkok. But nowhere is perfect. 

 

Otherwise, I don’t really mind the rest of it. Some of the bureaucracy that we all have to deal with here is a nuisance, but it’s bearable. I am concerned about the longer term risks of serious flooding and other natural disasters, but most places in the world have some of those risks. 

 

The only thing that would be a game changer for me is if they really start taxing foreigners on their worldwide income. Then I would definitely stay here no more than 6 months a year.
 

I actually wouldn’t mind to spend more time in other parts of Asia and Europe, but I am a bit too complacent and often choose the least path of resistance. So maybe it would be a good thing if they do change the tax laws as it would give me that needed push to spend more of my time in other parts of the world too. 
 

 

[GinBoy2]

I probably wouldn't do it again.

 

We were living in Singapore and I was planning an early retirement

 

My wife wanted to move to the US and have Thailand as our retirement vacation spot.

 

But idiot boy got his way and Thailand became the place,

 

I lasted 10 years before I broke, Son wasn't coming back from college in the US, boredom, and my wife telling me 'I told you so' enough was enough.

 

So, no I wouldn't do it again

[HugoFastor]

10 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I probably wouldn't do it again.

 

We were living in Singapore and I was planning an early retirement

 

My wife wanted to move to the US and have Thailand as our retirement vacation spot.

 

But idiot boy got his way and Thailand became the place,

 

I lasted 10 years before I broke, Son wasn't coming back from college in the US, boredom, and my wife telling me 'I told you so' enough was enough.

 

So, no I wouldn't do it again

Sorry to hear that. Are you still living here now?

 

What are the top 3 reasons that make you say you wouldn't do it again?  
 

Boredom sounds like one of them. Do you think you would be less bored in the US?

 

 

[GinBoy2]

1 minute ago, HugoFastor said:

Sorry yo hear that. Are still living here now?

 

What would you say were the top 3 reasons that make you say you wouldn't do it again?  
 

Boredom sounds like one of them. Do you think you would be less bored in the US?

 

 

Boredom was a big one.

 

I recognized after a couple of years I needed to work, which is a really hard thing in Thailand.

 

Kids, well there is another thing. I have two daughters and Grandson, and my Thai son who all live in the US. Hard to let that go

 

MrsG had a really hard time when our son said he wasn't coming back to the US. That was the nail in the coffin so to speak, Momma Bear was never going to be that far away from her baby. He's now married, baby on the way.

 

I went back to work, now work for united & delta airlines. Spent too much of my life in airplanes, so now it's nice to dick around with them on the ground

[RSD1]

I came here on a ladyboy tour with @bob smith. Best decision I ever made. I'm never leaving unless Soi 6/1 closes down. 

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

If you could turn the clock back in time then would you make the same decisions again, and why? Or would you have done things completely different?

Only change I'd make would be not getting married.

[RSD1]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Only change I'd make would be not getting married.

Yeeeha! Yeah buddy!!!

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Only change I'd make would be not getting married.

I'd also not have got married to my Brit wife. Thai wife is no problems at all.

[ElwoodP]

Bickerering posts removed, please keep it civil.

Racism will not be tolerated.

[jaideedave]

Arrived full time in "04" for the hedonistic lifestyle. I got that and more. I married the lady who took care of me for 2 full years while I recovered from "C" It's a payback. The marriage to me will allow her to receive a gov't survivors pension for life when I'm gone. Not a whole lot but she won't be forced to work and besides she has her own house in the village. 

One regret was not making the effort to learn the language. I was working overseas a lot so that's my excuse. Smartest thing I did was buy a house in "07" so I'll always have a roof over my head.

 

 

 

[Will B Good]

3 minutes ago, jaideedave said:

The marriage to me will allow her to receive a gov't survivors pension

 

Could I ask what that is please?

[jaideedave]

12 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

Could I ask what that is please?

I'm a retired Canuck and one of my pensions is called the (Canada Pension Plan) which all employees pay into. She's under 60 yo so she will get 37.5 % + a flat $220 of my CPP pension benefit as my sruviving spouse. It'll be around 11-15 k monthly depending on taxes and ex rate.

[Hummin]

8 years 

 

I would do it again, same all over, since it has been nice to get to know my wife, the real her and her family where she is from where we have built a small farm. 

We are leaving now because we have no commitments in Thailand, no children, and her family will take care of our farm while we are gone. For how long we do not know, but the first plan is 10 years, and then we will see. Our goal is to work, give her the opportunity to have dual citizenship and her pension rights, and then make a new decision.

 

After 8 years I started to get bored of being semi retired travelling back and forth for work schedules, and travelled Thailand 3 times around, and several smaller trips just to ease the boredom, as well as thousands of hours in gyms. Tired of this year's heat, and the general pollution, especially the burning seasons, which felt more bad this year because of the lack of rain. What finely tipped me over, was the confusing new tax regime of expats.

There is no way I will pay tax to a country who does not give anything back. No legal benefits or social security. 

 

I was very clear from the beginning, after following several expats on different forums, and their stories of living in Thailand, I would not get stuck, and my daily life was going to be as much like I was back home with daily normal healthy routines, and live one decent place, and travel for weekends and holidays to have contrasts.

 

Even paradise becomes boring after a while. That's just how it is

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

Only think I'd do different, is keep the properties I had, as they'd be generating a lot more income, they did 25 yrs ago.   Along with 2-5X the equity, putting me back near or at USD millionaire status 

 

Thrifty Cheap Charlie that I am sometimes, really don't know what I'd do with the extra money.  More toys I don't need.  Upgrade to stay in hotels with more amenities I still wouldn't use.

 

Probably buy a silly priced E-RV, so I wouldn't even need to stay in hotels.   That would be pretty cool.  In which case, I wouldn't even need a house.   

 

Hmm ... sell the house, and but an E-RV ...

... Honey ... we have to talk ... 

 

First one only cost ...  ฿7,25M I think... though sounds too low

... before shipping, registration & taxes.