Why are posters on here are reject living in the West?

[4MyEgo]

On 2/19/2025 at 7:01 AM, Confuscious said:

There are mainly 2 kind of people travelling to Thailand and nothing has changed in this matter.

1. The elder people who are alone and can get no girl/woman in their country anymore (except woman of their own age) and travel to Thailand to get a young girl to take care of them.
Off course, against $$$$$$$.
This type of tourist used to travel to Pattaya or Phuket, but you can see them in Issaan and other cities as well now.

2. The backpackers who are enjoying their youth before starting a carreer in their own country.
They con't care about safety rules, tourist rules or anything.
Their goal is to enjoy life to the fullest for a short time.
Off course, many of then end-up returning ti their country while missing a few limbs or in a box.

 

What about: 

 

3. Those of us that worked their ringers off for 40 years, came to Thailand in their mid 40's, met a girl (bar girls) if you like, then returned a few years later and have been here for a decade enjoying life off of their investments vs still having to work to survive back in their home countries where everyone is screaming that the cost of living is unaffordable ?

[KhunHeineken]

On 4/19/2025 at 6:03 AM, 4MyEgo said:

 

What about: 

 

3. Those of us that worked their ringers off for 40 years, came to Thailand in their mid 40's, met a girl (bar girls) if you like, then returned a few years later and have been here for a decade enjoying life off of their investments vs still having to work to survive back in their home countries where everyone is screaming that the cost of living is unaffordable ?

There are a lot of variables in that demographic you describe.

 

If you came to Thailand mid 40's, and say you left school at 15, that's 30 years of working, not 40 years of working. 

 

Firstly, the type of occupation would matter greatly, which goes directly to the amount of salary earned.  On this point, salaries were not very large back in those days, for all professions.

 

Then, there are possible losses along the way to consider.  Eh:  divorce, the GFC etc etc.  All effect one's cash / asset portfolio.  Divorce and loss of property and child support to pay being a common financial setback to many men in Australia. 

 

There's also how many hours a week the person worked, and their tax rate, or if they were paid cash in hand, as well as the lifestyle they lived, and the investments they made. 

 

Another thing to consider is, in general, humans are living longer.    That 30 years of working now has to see you out for longer than in past generations.  

 

The list goes on, but the above are some of the reasons people like yourself have returned back to Australia to do their 2 years to qualify for a pension.  

 

It's not a bad deal.  Work until mid 40's, move to a cheap country, get a pretty girl for cheap, don't work for the next 20 years, return home "cap in hand" for 2 years, get the pension, and then return back to the cheap country. 

 

One may call it good financial planning, and a good work life balance.  However, there are people who work from 15 to 65 in Australia, and will never qualify for a pension.  I suspect they don't have kind words to say about the above people.    

[4MyEgo]

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

There are a lot of variables in that demographic you describe.

 

You think to much and your math escapes you, read the post again, I said I came here when I was in my mid 40's, returned a few years later, now a few years can be a few or many in my opinion, but for the record, 9 years, so mid 40's (46) to be exact + 9 = 55, left school in year 10 @ 16, so according to my math, that's as close to 40 years working as you'll get.

 

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

Firstly, the type of occupation would matter greatly, which goes directly to the amount of salary earned.  On this point, salaries were not very large back in those days, for all professions.

 

Government job for 10 years with loads of O/T, i.e. 13 days a fortnight worked, was allowed to take super out in full back then, through that into a property (investment). Later changing jobs, further studying 3 nights a week, 2 courses, 6 years, meant increased salaries as I climbed the ladder.

 

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

if they were paid cash in hand, as well as the lifestyle they lived, and the investments they made. 

 

Some cash, investments along the way, no point in letting your $ get eaten by inflation along the way.

 

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

Then, there are possible losses along the way to consider.  Eh:  divorce, the GFC etc etc.  All effect one's cash / asset portfolio.  Divorce and loss of property and child support to pay being a common financial setback to many men in Australia. 

 

Divorce was a 50/50 split with one child, child support minimal due to shared care arrangements, no set backs, actually encouraged me to go harder.

 

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

The list goes on, but the above are some of the reasons people like yourself have returned back to Australia to do their 2 years to qualify for a pension.  

 

I wouldn't qualify for the age pension, nor would I wish to return for the chump change they would pay me, I mean what is it, 40,000 baht a month, I require double that to live a decent lifestyle here, nothing over the top and no debts of course, so I rely on my tax free investments to provide me with more than that, regardless of the current global economic climate challengers.

 

Returning to Oz to get the age pension, means you need to fork out double what you would receive in those 2 years, e.g. you spend 4 years of age pension money to survive for those two years in Oz, and that would be doing it tight, so by the time you break even your 71, so how many more years are you going to live for, sure we all like to think forever, but the 2 years wasted in that very expensive country isn't worth the grief, unless you need the $'s. I mean your age pension would be used to pay all of your rent and some depending on whether you want to live in a garage conversion at the back of someone's house or rent a room, (Sydney).

 

On 4/22/2025 at 5:47 PM, KhunHeineken said:

It's not a bad deal.  Work until mid 40's, move to a cheap country, get a pretty girl for cheap, don't work for the next 20 years, return home "cap in hand" for 2 years, get the pension, and then return back to the cheap country. 

 

As mentioned, I retired at 55 comfortably, like I said from working my ringer off for 40 years and making the right investments, still do, only the have been tax free for the last decade being a non resident for tax purposes. I could have stayed earning 6 figures + as my m8's do, but what an existence, one leaves home at 8am and returns at 8pm 6 days a week, to pay $1,000 a week on the 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit he rents with his girlfriend, then you have the cost of living on top of that, whereas you say move to a cheaper country and live your life off of your investments, with a cheap girl....LoL.

 

Going back for the age pension is for the unfortunate ones who didn't work hard enough, didn't invest, plan, or lost it all in a divorce or through bad investments.

 

I am happy to donate my old age pension to someone more needy than me thanks.

[Kinnock]

Why do posters on here are reject living in the West?

 

[KhunHeineken]

On 4/23/2025 at 1:17 PM, 4MyEgo said:

 

You think to much and your math escapes you, read the post again, I said I came here when I was in my mid 40's, returned a few years later, now a few years can be a few or many in my opinion, but for the record, 9 years, so mid 40's (46) to be exact + 9 = 55, left school in year 10 @ 16, so according to my math, that's as close to 40 years working as you'll get.

 

 

Government job for 10 years with loads of O/T, i.e. 13 days a fortnight worked, was allowed to take super out in full back then, through that into a property (investment). Later changing jobs, further studying 3 nights a week, 2 courses, 6 years, meant increased salaries as I climbed the ladder.

 

 

Some cash, investments along the way, no point in letting your $ get eaten by inflation along the way.

 

 

Divorce was a 50/50 split with one child, child support minimal due to shared care arrangements, no set backs, actually encouraged me to go harder.

 

 

I wouldn't qualify for the age pension, nor would I wish to return for the chump change they would pay me, I mean what is it, 40,000 baht a month, I require double that to live a decent lifestyle here, nothing over the top and no debts of course, so I rely on my tax free investments to provide me with more than that, regardless of the current global economic climate challengers.

 

Returning to Oz to get the age pension, means you need to fork out double what you would receive in those 2 years, e.g. you spend 4 years of age pension money to survive for those two years in Oz, and that would be doing it tight, so by the time you break even your 71, so how many more years are you going to live for, sure we all like to think forever, but the 2 years wasted in that very expensive country isn't worth the grief, unless you need the $'s. I mean your age pension would be used to pay all of your rent and some depending on whether you want to live in a garage conversion at the back of someone's house or rent a room, (Sydney).

 

 

As mentioned, I retired at 55 comfortably, like I said from working my ringer off for 40 years and making the right investments, still do, only the have been tax free for the last decade being a non resident for tax purposes. I could have stayed earning 6 figures + as my m8's do, but what an existence, one leaves home at 8am and returns at 8pm 6 days a week, to pay $1,000 a week on the 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit he rents with his girlfriend, then you have the cost of living on top of that, whereas you say move to a cheaper country and live your life off of your investments, with a cheap girl....LoL.

 

Going back for the age pension is for the unfortunate ones who didn't work hard enough, didn't invest, plan, or lost it all in a divorce or through bad investments.

 

I am happy to donate my old age pension to someone more needy than me thanks.

You are ripe for the picking when the proposed changes to tax residency are implemented.  You can't "Forget about Article 19" forever. 

[KhunHeineken]

On 4/23/2025 at 1:26 PM, Kinnock said:

Why do posters on here are reject living in the West?

 

Yes, the sugar babies are cheaper in Thailand than in Australia. 

[rough diamond]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

You are ripe for the picking when the proposed changes to tax residency are implemented.  You can't "Forget about Article 19" forever. 

I see the scaremonger is back again!

[KhunHeineken]

31 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

I see the scaremonger is back again!

Will you be going to the embassy in Bangkok to vote against it?   Oh, I forgot, both major political parties agree with the changes. 

[jas007]

On 2/19/2025 at 12:52 AM, still kicking said:

After returning from LOS, I posted a few times about my living in OZ. So I must tell you LOS is not cheap. Have to tell you guys again that I have to rent a unit It is cheaper than you guys made it to be.   I paid 240 AUD per week for a 2 bedroom for 8 years and that includes water. I have not paid for electricity since COVID-19 struck many years ago. How much do you guys Pay per week to live in LOS? 

I don't spend much money to live n the LOS, but then again, I'm a simple case.  Without trying to skimp on anything, I think my typical "budget" is around 50K baht, maybe 60K baht, depending.  So, not much, and I have lots and lots of money left over every month.  

 

You might say I'm here as a political refugee.  I won't go into that.

 

Anyway, anyone on a tight budget would be silly to try to live in the USA right now, at least from what I see in the news.  Even the so-called "cheap" areas of the country can be a challenge.  Can you survive there? Sure.  Lots of people do, but that's all you'd be doing on a limited budget.  And the weather could be terrible. 

 

I've thought about moving to places in Western Europe.  Even Eastern Europe would be fine.  But all of Europe seems to be in flux right now with a migrant problem, and there are warmongers seemingly itching for a war with Russia.  That would end badly for anyone in the vicinity. 

 

Maybe it's better to stay in Thailand for the time being.  No one bothers me here and I'm hardly suffering.  I'm in an oceanfront condo on a tropical beach.  A lot of people dream about having that. 

 

And there's also Central America and South America.  Plenty of places there to retire and sit around for not much money. 

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, jas007 said:

and there are warmongers seemingly itching for a war with Russia.  That would end badly for anyone in the vicinity. 

If / when China moves on Taiwan, or, it kicks off in The South China Sea, which side do you think Thailand will take? 

 

Will Thailand let China use their airbases and sea ports, or let America use them, once again?  If they side with China, that draws Thailand into the war. 

 

Interesting times ahead. 

[Hummin]

On 2/19/2025 at 3:30 PM, Hummin said:

West is the best! 

 

✈️

 

Being in my 50ies, living in Thailand where I struggle to find like-minded people to socialize with. People who prefer a healthy, active, positive lifestyle and, most importantly, positive-minded. 

 

Also, being off this forum for two months has been a great out of many reasons, but the two most important reasons, are the general negativity you find here, political negative extreme diversity and the trolls who frequently changing nicks and continue the same spewing over and over targeting the same subjects and the same people. Not so different from those you often meet while traveling in Thailand where their negativity against the west surface quite early after aknownledging each other and where we origin from.

 

You have got one life, make the best out of it, and make sure you regret nothing when you die. 

 

Thailand is great in many ways, not so much the people it attracts. 

 

Have a good evening