13 hours ago, bannork said:

Could we have some details please rather than just ' without structure or purpose you'll be lost' and 'success requires community, clarity and planning '. 

Sounds like the author is just stating the obvious, still, I like his former job description-  ' a former cider mogul'.

Wonder if he ever dealt in the Somerset Scrumpy direct from the barrel. 

Almost transparent with a mild, deceptive taste, just a couple  of glasses of that stuff would send you reeling. 

Drinking that certainly requires structure, clarity and planning.

 

 

 

"........just a couple  of glasses of that stuff would send you reeling."

 

Have to concur -  I heard a rumour that many years ago the brewer used to fire a dead rat into the mix and when the dead rat had disappeared, the brew was ready! 

2 hours ago, quake said:

 

Was he also involved with the Australian Dickins cider brand.

 

 

I bet that would have been really funny when I was 14 years old... 

2 hours ago, quake said:

 

Was he also involved with the Australian Dickins cider brand.

 

 

 

 

I had to watch this to get the joke.  If you don't  understand, listen.

10 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Well done.. when I was 30 years old I used to sleep in hole in the road.🙃🙃

A hole in the road...luxury! We were evicted from *our* hole in the ground; we had to go and live in a lake!

'According' to AMAZON:

"""Whether you should buy property—and why this might be the biggest, riskiest decision you’ll face.""" 

 

BUY PROPERTY??? 

Giving AMAZON a break, I will guess this means a business, NOT TERA FIRMA.

10 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Well done.. when I was 30 years old I used to sleep in hole in the road.🙃🙃

You're lucky,I didn't even have a hole in the road.

8 minutes ago, Pinot said:

A hole in the road...luxury! We were evicted from *our* hole in the ground; we had to go and live in a lake!

You were lucky to have a LAKE! There were a hundred and sixty of us living in a small shoebox in the middle of the road.

You don't need a plan, you just need limits.

 

Something something about a life on Sukhumvit. Sukhumvit ffs. Possible nuggets of golden wisdom could that book hold? None

 

I do agree about meeting the country half way. I'm thinking 3/4 really

 

The guy could use a good shave and some proper clothes. Lose that stupid hat as well

9 minutes ago, Tom100 said:

You were lucky to have a LAKE! There were a hundred and sixty of us living in a small shoebox in the middle of the road.

Oh Monty P is really coming to the fore here.

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The use of common sense and taking one's time to get to know a place and avoid stupidity. 

Been in Thailand 30+ years and what you say has worked for me, great simple life with very few complications.

Advertorial teaser dressed up as a news item.

Next I will be seeing ads for this book...

On page 1 of the book it says,

 

"Beware of Indian Tailor shops on Sukhumvit. Look what happened to me."

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In a stark revelation, retired American expat James David Spivey, who traded the hustle of Wall Street for the charms of Sukhumvit

So what does that say about him?

Very simple safety tips while in this kingdom.

 

1.Have certain level of financial security  before settlement; so you won't end up as the destitute in the country where you aren't entitled to any social welfare benefits.

 

2. No: Drugs/illegal gun ownership.

 

3.No motorcycles; a slight mishaps can easily take away your limbs.

 

4. No property ownership obsession(can lose fortune by scaming).

 

5. Stay away from lousy woman intends to sponge money from you.

 

6. Respect what locals traditionally value(their religions etc).

 

7.Don't assume own country's "standard" applies anywhere and everywhere in the world.

 

Different countries have different history. So as their rules and norms.

 

I have been living a peaceful life here for the past 2 decades, following the above simple rules.

"Thailand will chew you up and spit you out if you're not ready," he asserts.

 

Translation:

Don't fall a victim of losing a fortune by the trap of money-sponging women and condo scam, as happened to me.

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, IgboChief said:

Came here when I was 30 years old. Just with my wife, my baby and 2 bags. Best decision of my life. Thailand is easy.

That said baby is 19 y/o now, speaks 4 languages natively and jets between EU/Asia at will. Did I mention "best decision"?

And a load of savings no doubt.  does make me laugh when people claim they have turned up with nothing. it's complete nonsense.  

sounds like an pretentious load of old clap trap

3 hours ago, Tom100 said:

You were lucky to have a LAKE! There were a hundred and sixty of us living in a small shoebox in the middle of the road.

 

A shoebox...luxury! There was 34 of us living in an old fish carcass.  

17 hours ago, bannork said:

Could we have some details please rather than just ' without structure or purpose you'll be lost' and 'success requires community, clarity and planning '. 

Sounds like the author is just stating the obvious, still, I like his former job description-  ' a former cider mogul'.

Wonder if he ever dealt in the Somerset Scrumpy direct from the barrel. 

Almost transparent with a mild, deceptive taste, just a couple  of glasses of that stuff would send you reeling. 

Drinking that certainly requires structure, clarity and planning.

 

 

Think you have to buy the book and read it for more details. This is a teaser

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

How to Retire to Thailand Without F’ing It Up,"

 

I sincerely hope the man and his family from Mansfield in the UK has read this book!

13 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

 

Wonder if the author understands the meaning of spiv in the UK 555

What absolute nonsense! ..."Thailand will chew you up and spit you out if you're not ready," I've been here 41 years and never experienced anything remotely near to this scenario. Thailand isn't a mission impossible.

9 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Is this a promotion for a book nobody needs?

Written by a nobody, or lunatic?

Recommended reading @ Fawlty Towers (or Flowery <deleted>...or....or).🙃🙃

15 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

19 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Wonder if Mr Spivey is our Lewie London or Bob Smith. 

 

Wonder if the author understands the meaning of spiv in the UK 555

I wonder why you don't understand that "Spivey" and "spiv" are not pronounced the same?

The chapter I liked most was about him bar-fining a girl at some seedy Bangkok bar, only to wake up the next morning with an unbearable pain in his ass. That’s when it hit him — he’d come here completely unprepared. So, he decided to write a book (as a warning to others).

5 hours ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

 

6. Respect what locals traditionally value(their religions etc).

 

 

Are we supposed to respect those corrupt playboy-monks too?

The photo says it all:

 

"Spivs  Are Us"

 

 

166 pages?? You can narrow all the advice you need to one paragraph: Come with enough money invested so you have passive income, if you have more sources of income even better, avoid scams, don't fall in love with a bar girl, don't buy a house (in her name), control your drinking, avoid drugs, make and maintain a social circle of good people, avoid crazy people, don't be crazy. That's pretty much it.

 

I do agree with one thing though: if you are already nuts, addicted, or have other serious character flaws Thailand and Pattaya in particular will amplify it. If you are sane, not broke, and can control yourself: Thailand is a single man's Disneyland.

19 hours ago, IgboChief said:

Came here when I was 30 years old. Just with my wife, my baby and 2 bags. Best decision of my life. Thailand is easy.

That said baby is 19 y/o now, speaks 4 languages natively and jets between EU/Asia at will. Did I mention "best decision"?

Who TF are the 6 thumbs down on this post?

Nicely done dude.