If expat retirees in Thailand still lived in their own countries would lifestyles differ?

[BE88]

Bernie maybe you didn't realize that there is no winter here in Thailand so yes here we are more productive because we can be more mobile and living away from home is my passion here.🙂

[Wrwest]

Unable to live the standard of life in the USA on my monthly sustainable retirement income so the question, for me is moot. Life in a lower cost country allowed a working middle class lifestyle. Home, cars, motorbike, some travel. As to activity now, Covid killed the exercise routine which I confess to needing to reinstate. Reading and email/social media correspondence takes a good amount of my time. Going out to tour local surrounding area on the motorbike and running errands  are use of most time out of the house.

[Grusa]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Loads of mushrooms around at the moment, I cycled past locals coming out of the forest with baskets full of the big white ones yesterday.

Loads of mushrooms around at the moment, .... and they are all AN subscribers, kept in the dark and fed bs.

[newnative]

    I've said a number of times that when I moved to Thailand my lifestyle did not change.  The things I enjoyed in the US, I enjoy here, as well.  I was fixing up condos and selling them in the US, I continued to do that here.  I enjoyed movies, reading, swimming, walks, the gym, and travel in the US.  And, it's the same here.  The difference is I have much better weather here year-round to do outdoor activities such as swimming.   Things are cheaper here and I also have more disposable income living here so I can live in a better house here and my spouse and I can afford to do more traveling.  

[BangkokHank]

The main difference for me is that I am much less handsome in my home country than I am in Thailand, with all that that implies. Other than that, I am the same person no matter where I am - doing the same things (reading, exercising, traveling, etc.)

[Prubangboy]

It's not precise. When the smoke lingered, I just added Kuching, Borneo to my travels and stayed away longer. You'd like Kuching. Very Chiang Mai-feeling.

 

This year, I'll be trapped for one of the bad months due to my college course. But I'm still goin g to Brazil for a month when I can.

[RayWright]

22 hours ago, BangkokBernie said:

...So, I do wonder, if they were still living in their home countries, would their lifestyles be any more productive?...

 

 

They'll never make their money back, you know. I told him. I said to him, "Bernie", I said, "They'll never make their money back.". (Eric Idle, Life of Brian).

[Andycoops]

Absolutely they would.

Certainly in my case the quality of life here is far superior than the UK.

[NoshowJones]

I played in bands regularly right up to the time I decided to come to Thailand to stay, after that the only other times I  have played was going up to sing a couple of songs and borrowed the bass players guitar at a few bars in Pattaya.

So my life has really changed by being an English teacher for a few years, then just living in retirement doing road trips on the motorbike. Now all my farang friends have died or moved away so now I get lonely and bored some times, I have a very good wife and do not and never have been a smoker or drinker.

[proton]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Home country has cleaner air and everyone speaks Englsih.

Golf, food, dating/sex, transportation, housing much more expensive there.

I find my home country much more boring then here I hope to only go back if I am about to die.

 

 

 

Not everyone speaks Englsih in UK cities these days, in several it's a minority language

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, susanlea said:

You saying they are losers?

A lot of them are, if you are ever in Pattaya for any time you will soon see plenty of losers starting their days with their smokes and alcohol especially around the Soi Buckawo area.

[blazes]

49 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Not everyone speaks Englsih in UK cities these days, in several it's a minority language

 

Leicester, Islington, Rochdale, Rotheram, Bradford, and  many parts of Birmingham??? (to name only the  most obvious centres of riff-raff.)

[Guderian]

A grand total of 9 posts, and he's been a member here for less than 2 weeks, yet he's an expert on expat ennui already, lol.

[Stanton681]

20 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Yawn - another posting from a 'fictional' account..  

 

... whats next..  posts from Sukhumvit-Sid, Pattaya Pat, NakhonNowhereNobhead.....

 

 

Absolutely, and it’s the same sort of opening text: “I’ve read here that …”.

 

You’d think whoever dreams up these fake posts could be a bit more inventive.
 

Also it’s surprising how many members who should know better, reply to the posts.

 

[Stanton681]

21 minutes ago, Guderian said:

A grand total of 9 posts, and he's been a member here for less than 2 weeks, yet he's an expert on expat ennui already, lol.

Possibly a pal of Malcom, Mekong, James, Terence et al.

[ArnieP]

7 minutes ago, Stanton681 said:

Possibly a pal of Malcom, Mekong, James, Terence et al.

Don’t forget the women too, Rachel, Sue etc.

[BobBKK]

Lots would change - otherwise, why be here? If you like girlies (or boys, I guess), then Asia will be better for you. It's cheaper, and there is less rain. Just have to put up with the whinging and know-it-alls on here. I'd hate to be back in farangland with all that wokeness invading every part of existence. 

[GinBoy2]

9 hours ago, Stanton681 said:

Absolutely, and it’s the same sort of opening text: “I’ve read here that …”.

 

You’d think whoever dreams up these fake posts could be a bit more inventive.
 

Also it’s surprising how many members who should know better, reply to the posts.

 

I kinda hate myself sometimes for replying, to what I instinctively know is some AI driven fake post, from some poster with 10 posts all designed as click bate.

 

At least sometimes they spur a discussion from 'real' people.

 

I hope the owners understand that we know the game!

[EVENKEEL]

6 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I kinda hate myself sometimes for replying, to what I instinctively know is some AI driven fake post, from some poster with 10 posts all designed as click bate.

 

At least sometimes they spur a discussion from 'real' people.

 

I hope the owners understand that we know the game!

Actually, this is a good thread that can create some useful discussions. Those guys who sold everything and left the USA for Thailand in all probabilities can't ever afford to return to their place of home. I made a home here in Thailand before retirement complete with homes and a kid. All the while maintaining and renting out properties in Ca. There are things I miss about home like camping at the reservoir with a sailboat. Projects I never completed, so many places I never visited in the US even though I traveled the world for many years.

 

I maintain my driver's license and car sitting in my garage back home. Just because it makes me feel good. I don't think I could completely cut the US loose.

 

 

[susanlea]

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Actually, this is a good thread that can create some useful discussions.

I agree. Good topic. My life is different due to hobbies I have being 1/5 of the price so can do more.

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, susanlea said:

I agree. Good topic. My life is different due to hobbies I have being 1/5 of the price so can do more.

My hobbies seemed to have morphed from active/action, outdoors, nature, water sports, to more sedentary, less physical type hobbies.

 

From hiking, nature parks, white water rafting, simple canoeing, boating, scuba diving. 

 

Seas & waterways here are simply too polluted or fished out to bother.  My holidays used to revolve around being on or in the water.  Now I just look at it.

 

Now it's more photography, knocking around town, or drone (seated, standing still), RC toys, again, not much movement.  Daily walks with the dog.  Out & about in the car, coffee shops w/view and or landscape.

 

Cut way back on hiking, damn mozzies & snakes, along with brutal temps at times.

 

I actually download movies and watch them.  Before TH, I didn't even own a TV 

[newnative]

23 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

A lot of them are, if you are ever in Pattaya for any time you will soon see plenty of losers starting their days with their smokes and alcohol especially around the Soi Buckawo area.

What you  describe  is just a tiny percentage of  expats in Pattaya.  I don't  know a single  expat who starts their day like that. 

[GinBoy2]

4 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Actually, this is a good thread that can create some useful discussions. Those guys who sold everything and left the USA for Thailand in all probabilities can't ever afford to return to their place of home. I made a home here in Thailand before retirement complete with homes and a kid. All the while maintaining and renting out properties in Ca. There are things I miss about home like camping at the reservoir with a sailboat. Projects I never completed, so many places I never visited in the US even though I traveled the world for many years.

 

I maintain my driver's license and car sitting in my garage back home. Just because it makes me feel good. I don't think I could completely cut the US loose.

 

 

I've never sold up in either he US or Thailand

 

We're in the US right now, never sold my house. Still have our house in Thailand, which we'll never sell.

 

You can have the best of both worlds, you just pick and choose which one you want at various times in your life

[KhunLA]

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Actually, this is a good thread that can create some useful discussions. Those guys who sold everything and left the USA for Thailand in all probabilities can't ever afford to return to their place of home. I made a home here in Thailand before retirement complete with homes and a kid. All the while maintaining and renting out properties in Ca. There are things I miss about home like camping at the reservoir with a sailboat. Projects I never completed, so many places I never visited in the US even though I traveled the world for many years.

 

I maintain my driver's license and car sitting in my garage back home. Just because it makes me feel good. I don't think I could completely cut the US loose.

I knew I wasn't returning, as well thought out and planned for years.  Although TH was a quick and TBH, not researched like other options.  Didn't really decide to stay until after kid done High School.  

 

Held off on building the 3rd house (first 2 sold), or buying a car worth keeping till it dies.  Still gave it 3 yrs to think about (2017-2020) @ PKK, after 17 years already here @ Udon Thani.   

 

Hindsight, it probably would have been better to keep my RE, (5 units) and rented out, although I don't need the income or can even think what I'd spend it on.  My SS is a bit more than I can spend without being frivolous.

 

RE investment here, made up for any loss rental income from the USA.   Having Thai partner made that possible.   Although, USA housing prices the past few years would have added quite a bit of equity.  Definitely better price selling today than 24 yrs ago.  

 

Could return USA and buy back in, but have no desire to, along with, less play money every money if I did.  At near 70, why bother, since I did leave, along with healthcare so expensive.   So far, haven't really needed anything here.  Just a couple inexpensive procedures.   Even those would have cost 10-20X if out of pocket.   If insured, still cheaper here vs premiums & deductibles.   That's the sad state of healthcare in the USA.

[jas007]

In my experience, the quality of one’s life in the USA can vary greatly, depending on the location.  When COVID ended and Thailand opened back up again, I came back to Thailand.  Why not?  I suppose I could get on a plane and go back at any point, but things would be a bit more expensive now, with all the inflation there.

 

I don’t have a car here, so that’s an adjustment , but otherwise, I can do most of the same things here as I could do there. Here I’m at the beach, but many places in the USA have no beach, unless you’re willing to shell out big bucks. Here, the cost of living is cheaper for that reason alone. 
 

All in all, I think it’s really nice that here, I have absolutely no money worries whatsoever.  In the States, if I had a house again, I’d be spending all sorts of money unnecessarily.  Property taxes, insurance, huge utility bills, home maintenance, auto insurance etc., all just to sit there and fantasize about living on a tropical beach somewhere.  
 

I have friends who I’m sure think I’m crazy. Anyway, I can do whatever I want, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.  This year I’m going to try to do more traveling around Asia. It’s cheap enough.

[habuspasha]

Regular seasonal back and forth between Manhattan and Thailand is still aspirational, though we are now 83 and 42.  For last ten years I’ve been limited to vacation visits to Thailand—3-4 a year, each for about a month.  Those are tours and beach holidays, not enough time to get bored.  Versus never a dull moment in NYC.  Mia noi has hands full in Bangkok for another couple years before boys leave home, but we imagine a modest beach area house, likely south of Hua Hin, especially for cool season.  Meanwhile much of day and night in NY involves care of wife in late stage Alzheimer's.

[Grecian]

19 hours ago, susanlea said:

I agree. Good topic. My life is different due to hobbies I have being 1/5 of the price so can do more.

What hobbies?

[susanlea]

3 hours ago, Grecian said:

What hobbies?

Eating, massages, train rides, hotel visits, history walks, bush trekking, car rides, gym.

[EVENKEEL]

21 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I knew I wasn't returning, as well thought out and planned for years.  Although TH was a quick and TBH, not researched like other options.  Didn't really decide to stay until after kid done High School.  

 

Held off on building the 3rd house (first 2 sold), or buying a car worth keeping till it dies.  Still gave it 3 yrs to think about (2017-2020) @ PKK, after 17 years already here @ Udon Thani.   

 

Hindsight, it probably would have been better to keep my RE, (5 units) and rented out, although I don't need the income or can even think what I'd spend it on.  My SS is a bit more than I can spend without being frivolous.

 

RE investment here, made up for any loss rental income from the USA.   Having Thai partner made that possible.   Although, USA housing prices the past few years would have added quite a bit of equity.  Definitely better price selling today than 24 yrs ago.  

 

Could return USA and buy back in, but have no desire to, along with, less play money every money if I did.  At near 70, why bother, since I did leave, along with healthcare so expensive.   So far, haven't really needed anything here.  Just a couple inexpensive procedures.   Even those would have cost 10-20X if out of pocket.   If insured, still cheaper here vs premiums & deductibles.   That's the sad state of healthcare in the USA.

My main objective for keeping my US RE is for the kids and it pays a bit of money but not much after repairs, taxes and insurance. It also gives me a foothold in the country I consider my home. 

[rickudon]

On.a 1500 GBP total pension income, life in the UK would be tough. Rent, council tax, home insurance and monthly bills (electric, gas, water, internet etc.) Would easily use all that up, let alone running.a car and buying food.

Would be living in some substandard accomodatiom, afraid to heat it because of the bills, and living on beans on toast. Is that life?

In Thailand, save enough to enhance property every 2 years, have 2 ponds for fishing and land to grow food if i want. Only downsides are too hot most of the time and potential healthcare issues.

Oh, and a wife 20 years younger!