All planned, or just the way it turned out ?

[The Cobra]

When I was younger, having been raised in the UK, I never even thought much of foreign travel,.Sure I had occasional holidays over the years, 2 weeks here or there but never considered living in another country.

 

Then later in life, after a divorce and later a holiday to Thailand, which then became extended, then hypnotised by the place I never left, except to go back and detach myself completely from what was.

Funny how life can unfold, there was no plan, it just happened that way.

 

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

[Harrisfan]

Half of life accident, half planned. Life is life. 

[Tropicalevo]

Spur of the moment stuff.

I had travelled all over Europe and Asia for the company that I worked for.

We lived in a country for two years then moved to the next one.

I realised that I was not spending much time with the wife.

She was static at home and I was always in hotels or on planes so I said, I am going to retire. (49 years old.)

I said for her to pick a country, anywhere in the world, and we will go and live there.

She replied 'Thailand' and here I am.

[connda]

46 minutes ago, The Cobra said:

When I was younger, having been raised in the UK, I never even thought much of foreign travel,.Sure I had occasional holidays over the years, 2 weeks here or there but never considered living in another country.

 

Then later in life, after a divorce and later a holiday to Thailand, which then became extended, then hypnotised by the place I never left, except to go back and detach myself completely from what was.

Funny how life can unfold, there was no plan, it just happened that way.

 

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

I was a military brat, and I was in the military myself.  Overseas deployments where a fact of life. And I enjoyed my time overseas - a lot! Even spent the first three years of my education in a post-WWII London English boys school.  It all shaped my world-view.  After the events leading to my last divorce, the first thing that came into my mind is, "I've leaving the country and moving overseas."  Just like that.  I've never looked back.

[Keeps]

I first visited Thailand in 1999. Returned twice per year governed by work holiday entitlement. In 2003 I was diagnosed with a chronic illness so decided to take a career break. I planned to come to Thailand for a year but ended up staying two and a half years.

 

I decided that I wanted to grow old in Thailand so made the decision to return to the UK. I was 36 then. Luckily got sorted with work within 1 month and picked up my career where I left off. At the time, exchange rate was favourable and interest rates were good so I thought I might have to work for 10 years and I would have enough.

 

Exchange rate went south as did the interest rates. I worked very hard, saved even harder so at the age of 49 I was able to stop working. Had a couple of pieces of luck along the way. 

 

I'm 56 now. I still split my time between Thailand and UK as I have an elderly mother but when I am in a position to, I will make the move permanent.

 

Best decision I ever made.

[oxo1947]

 

And no regrets Cobra---its like having a 2nd chance at life isn't it--

 

I had traveled a lot- + I was in the merchant navy for some years--

 

jumped ship In Kiwi-when I was 19 -and joined their Navy --other then Oz they didn't go much further then all the pacific islands

which was nice---some beautiful women there  with nice attitudes.

12 years latter moved to Oz joined their navy for a while--- but was getting fed with that life style & had a wife 2 little girls.

Early 80s Oz was an easy place to start a business-- I would talk about it to friends in pubs and get the usual Oz up front answer ,

every-time I said I think I could do this or that -- "Then Have a go ya Mug"    (or shut up) so I did and all that went well except for the marriage.

So at 40 and single I decided I would like to retire to Asia by 50---over shot that be 2 years.

 

Been here 26 years--I did decide to stay in every Asian country --for 3 months before decided where best--but could not stay the distance in all of them --Lao's was so boring

Cambodia at that time late 90s was a little dangerous --- Vietnam had not really got moving, people were friendly enough--especially when you learn to say

your English-- Visa's ect were always cheaper for UK--Canadian --or anyone who hadn't joined in the bombing the <deleted> out of them. I think its all leveled out  now .

  P.I  nice but I cant stand anything to do with Catholicism, went to a Catholic school for some years and found the nuns to be the most evil sadist people I have ever experienced.

I dont mind Buddhist , my wife bangs her head 3 times on the pillow every night and chants some inaudible nonsense,

but nothing about it interferes with our life style.

 

Like some on here-I would like to say after 26 years I now speak Thai like a native--- but my Thai is really woeful-- many times when I am trying order something there would be a burst of laughter from all the other Thai's around.

Like some on here--I would like to say my wife been to Uni --I am first person etc etc--but no, like me  she came from a broken marriage with 2 small girls---

she worked in a French restaurant, that my friend had talked me into eating at because, as he put it- he was tired of all this Thai <deleted> .

Been together over 20 years.

 

[short-Timer]

8 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Half of life accident, half planned. Life is life. 

So you only plan half your life and the rest is just a series of accidents you are saying? Don't understand your point. 

[chickenslegs]

18 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

She replied 'Thailand' and here I am.

Is that "Here we are"? or ...

[Confuscious]

21 hours ago, The Cobra said:

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

I came to Thailand to do a job for the company I was working for.
It was planned to take about 1 1/2 to 2 years.
Never planned to stay in Thailand, but always had planned to retire in Spain.

In the time I was working in Thai, I meet a girl/woman.
I made clear to her that I would leave Thailand as soon as the job is done.
Although she promised always that she was "cut" (sterilized), she became praignant and I decided to marry her and stay in Thailand for the sake of the child.
A decision I still regret.

[khunPer]

On 3/6/2025 at 9:10 AM, The Cobra said:

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

Structured plan since the end on the 1980s: Back then I saw my auditor had a new smart suitcase with a carryable computer inside and a yellow monochrome monitor in the lid. My dream was that when I some day could pack my company into such a thing and remotely control it all – and my bank accounts – i would move to a tropical island and sit and do all that in the shadow of a coconut palm while a couple of beautiful young ladies brought me cool drinks...

We – inlcuding everybody I told ab out my dream – all laughed a lot about that idea...🤣

15 years later I bought a coconut palm on a tropical island – young ladies and cool drinks was the easy supplement – and here I still sit, happily living my dream...

 

The photo is my coconut palm view from a relaxing state during a hard days remote banking work...

 

[Bundooman]

On 3/6/2025 at 3:10 PM, The Cobra said:

When I was younger, having been raised in the UK, I never even thought much of foreign travel,.Sure I had occasional holidays over the years, 2 weeks here or there but never considered living in another country.

 

Then later in life, after a divorce and later a holiday to Thailand, which then became extended, then hypnotised by the place I never left, except to go back and detach myself completely from what was.

Funny how life can unfold, there was no plan, it just happened that way.

 

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

I too was raised in the UK and never really considered travelling abroad until I joined the Royal Navy at 16. That one event spectacularly changed my life forever, arriving here in Thailand at the age of 20, (the Med and Europe before that), again at 24 and yet again for a two year stint in Hong Kong in the early '70s visiting Thailand twice.

 

That was followed by 10 years backpacking annually for 3-4 weeks around Asia, always starting in Bangkok and ending with a beach holiday one month later - in Thailand. 

I moved out here in 2004 and have never regretted it. 

[Wrwest]

On 3/6/2025 at 3:10 PM, The Cobra said:

When I was younger, having been raised in the UK, I never even thought much of foreign travel,.Sure I had occasional holidays over the years, 2 weeks here or there but never considered living in another country.

 

Then later in life, after a divorce and later a holiday to Thailand, which then became extended, then hypnotised by the place I never left, except to go back and detach myself completely from what was.

Funny how life can unfold, there was no plan, it just happened that way.

 

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

Approaching retirement, I was faced with the reality that economically, staying in the USA would be a challenge if I lasted anytime and did not want to burn through the savings. So, looked at lower cost countries ... Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, Philippines, Thailand. As a result of my background, living in another culture would not be an issue (although the Spanish would have been easier than the Thai). 2009, 2010 I made four monthlong trips to Thailand and I was hooked. Mexico became, "Plan B". After 13 years retired here, happy camper being able to live a sustainable, comfortable working middle class life (if Trump and his Project 2025 ilk don't screw things up for me as I am not backed up financially to the tune of a million+  usd. 

[Red Forever]

Life is what happens when you’re making plans. John Lennon

[black tabby12345]

On 3/6/2025 at 3:10 PM, The Cobra said:

How about you? Just the way it's happened, or did you have a structured plan, or was it something else that led you to lay your hat  in Thailand for the foreseeable future? 

 

 

Hi, thank you for sharing your story here.

In my case, it started in 1998, from my 19 days trip to Thailand(first time to this place).

 

Charmed by the  taste of Thai food,  calm gentle friendly people, as well as the lower cost of living(back then, 5kg of the least expensive rice was 50B).

 

And since that travel, I started to feel this is my future destination(place of my future retirement).

 

And toward the end of 2005, I came back here as the early retiree, after years of financial preparation.

 

I flew in BKK, and travelled to Chiang Mai by the Night Bus from Khao San Rd.

After my arrival, I first stayed at the place named Supreme House(no longer exists) for a week or so.

 

Then, started looking for the apartment.

After checking out around 30-40 different places,  I found the place where I have been living for the past 2 decades by now.

I have been just like part of their pseudo family while I have been single.

 

One great thing about this place, family run.

Whoever operates, still belongs to the one same family; will never be sold away to the stranger.

 

Before my arrival, carefully planned.

But after once here, things just turned out to be.

I now recall my fate guided by some unknown force, ever since I started to plan my first visit to this kingdom...