Hello Everyone

[glasshock]

Hey all.......

I've been a member for a while now but never posted here before.... Just wanted to say hello .... how are you all and .....Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.... my wife and I so want to leave the UK now ..........

Check this out!!!

My wife is from the north east... we met while I was teaching in her school....we married new years day 2006.... and moved to my home in the UK.... fantastic!!.... then.... my business partner made a visit to our bank with a large empty bag, purchased himself a new pair of running shoes and ..... ran!!!

He took with him ......well everytrhing, leaving me with a £207'000 debt ....to which the answer was bankruptcy!......

We had been planning to move back to Thailand within the next 3 years or so but now we just want the hel_l out...... We have lost everything...house too!

So .... any advice anyone......? Im 38 years old with a "babys" bank account and a craving for the simple village life ........ is there such a thing? ..or is this just a dream? we have a very small house built on my wifes land ready for us to move into so thats one plus point....I could stay here and work my balls off ....again! but what for? and I just cant stand this place any longer .... the last year has been a living hel_l!!

So....... my questions really are ....... can I make a living in Thailand? .... is this possable? ... Im a glazier....not much call for double glazing sure :-) ... I know that I cant work in Thailand but there must be some way of making a living?...........hmmmmmmmmm think for a first post this is a little heavy guys.....more like a rant ....... do you have a rant thread?

Our son is 3 months old now ........he needs some stability guys .......so the move has to be soon!

Anyway ..... I have a website site set up now selling Thai silk etc.... this should have gone live in 12 months time but have zipped it forward in the hope that we can "find our way".... the dream was to travel Thailand searching for arts and crafts to put on the site.............turn a small profit and just .... live! ahhhhhhhh :-)

Is this poss out there? .... pretty green eh?.........

Havent posted the web address as I dont know if this is allowed and I dont want a kick in the stones for spamming!

Anyway ..thanks in advance for your help people .......all sugestions welcome .....enjoy your day and...... rant and self pitty over :-)

See ya soon,

Mike

Edited September 5, 2007 by glasshock

[Jimjim]

Many people are going to tell you can't. My advice. Just do it. If you love the simple life, you shouldn't need much money. Get a job as a teacher in your village if nothing else.

[Carmine6]

Just about starting from scratch either way, or maybe scratch in one place and in the hole in the other. Managing a visa seems to be the only downside. You can always go back home and start from scratch if the detour to Thailand doesn't work out.

[Maestro]

...Im a glazier....not much call for double glazing sure :-) ... I know that I cant work in Thailand but there must be some way of making a living?...

I remember reading some posts about double glazing, did a search and this is the result. If you feel like it, read through it.

Yes, you can work in Thailand. You must get a work permit to do so. Many professions are forbidden to foreigners, but there are many ways to get a work permit to apply one’s professional knowledge and experience in Thailand, eg as a consultant or as business manager.

If you ask me, double glazing should be required by law for air-conditioned rooms, in order to reduce electricity consumption, with the added benefit of noise reduction in noisy areas.

--

Maestro

[teacup]

Life is suck if you have a tiny saving with no other skills for a better job, if you choose to stay. With a baby, your expense will be quite high indeed. High expenses require high income, just to live day by day.

However your small nestegg can worth a fortune in Thailand. If you choose to be in Thailand, with a small saving & careful planning, you and your wife can think up of something or run a small business together while the baby is with the grandparents. Of course you won’t be making a fortune at first, just a simple lifestyle is what you’re going to get, but at least you will have a life with your wife and a baby all together in one place.

The downsides here are the cost of emergency medical expenses, and ever changing visa rules.

From you post above, I wouldn’t be in teaching if I were you.

Edited September 5, 2007 by teacup

[raslin]

As you have a house in the northeast I suggest you do a post to the Isaan forum. Lost of helpful people up here.

Roger in Surin

[davejonesbkk]

Nestegg? I think he has a debt of 207k not savings...

[Suszzy]

wouldn't it be better if you stay in the uk for a bit longer?

try to save money again..and when you're ready then come over to los..

teaching in los? humm..money is not that great..

i would think really hard..if i were you!!

[PeaceBlondie]

......bankrupt?.........new baby?............Thai wife?.............teaching without a degree?..................looks to me.........like...........a recipe for disaster................I say don't do it.....age 38, what visa would you be on?...........could you ever get a.............work..........permit..........? I think.............not.

[jubby]

Atleast wait until next year , to see if the new elections bring back some sanity. We moved here 1 year ago with three kids, the wifes happy, the kids are happy, ofcourse they are all Thai Nationals so they have no VISA woes, I love it but I'm getting a bit paranoid, Its very up in the air at the moment, regular visa changes; I'm not seeing many smiles from the Thai's either; I think the farang has been demoted this year.

[GuestHouse]

I'm with PeaceBlondie on this one.

One of the biggest, and very common, mistakes people make when moving to live in Thailand is to be under capitalized.

Thailand with a young family and no income - NO WAY.

And it's not just Thailand - If you leave problems behind in the UK, those problems will severely restrict your and your families choices.

Example: Health care, how are you going to afford any serious medical needs - are debts you leave behind in the UK going to prevent you returning to the UK for health care, for you, for your wife and for your child?

Then there is future income - I've no idea what the percentage of start up failures is in Thailand - Planning a life on a business that is not even started yet is taking a huge risk - and because you have no capital back home, no access to credit back home, no house back home - You have no 'Fail' possition.

In the longer term what are you going to do for income in later life (in retirement when you can't work)?

Are you going to continue to pay for your UK pension? Is that going to be enough (on its own it is not).

My advice is don't run from the problems you have - face them, work now to rebuild your life and then make plans to come to Thailand when you have the funds to do so.

And that doesn't even address your child's education - Rural Thai School .... Bankruptcy is I am sure tough, but don't make your child pay for your partners theft.

[teacup]

Nestegg? I think he has a debt of 207k not savings...

Well the OP also said...."Im 38 years old with a "babys" bank account", so I assumed he has atleast more than a few thousand at his age. May be I'm wrong.

Then again with the debt of whopping 207k and he didn't see it's coming waaay beforehand? It's so hard to believe!

To the OP..... Are you really and totally bankrupted? How much do you have left anyway?

Edited September 6, 2007 by teacup

[phibunmike]

Making a living in Thailand might not be the answer for you in the long term, but for the short term, it seems like getting away, recouping your strength and energy, is a good thing. Use the time to decide what your next moves will be. I am sure you are at a low point, so any new venture at this stage will be difficult. Take some time out with your wife, baby and village neighbours, live cheaply, learn what are the important things for you, and go from there.

Good luck.

[Heng]

Yeah, recipe for a 2 paragraph Thai Rath news article complete with marginally censored photo.

[lazeeboy]

Hey all.......

I've been a member for a while now but never posted here before.... Just wanted to say hello .... how are you all and .....Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.... my wife and I so want to leave the UK now ..........

Check this out!!!

My wife is from the north east... we met while I was teaching in her school....we married new years day 2006.... and moved to my home in the UK.... fantastic!!.... then.... my business partner made a visit to our bank with a large empty bag, purchased himself a new pair of running shoes and ..... ran!!!

He took with him ......well everytrhing, leaving me with a £207'000 debt ....to which the answer was bankruptcy!......

We had been planning to move back to Thailand within the next 3 years or so but now we just want the hel_l out...... We have lost everything...house too!

So .... any advice anyone......? Im 38 years old with a "babys" bank account and a craving for the simple village life ........ is there such a thing? ..or is this just a dream? we have a very small house built on my wifes land ready for us to move into so thats one plus point....I could stay here and work my balls off ....again! but what for? and I just cant stand this place any longer .... the last year has been a living hel_l!!

So....... my questions really are ....... can I make a living in Thailand? .... is this possable? ... Im a glazier....not much call for double glazing sure :-) ... I know that I cant work in Thailand but there must be some way of making a living?...........hmmmmmmmmm think for a first post this is a little heavy guys.....more like a rant ....... do you have a rant thread?

Our son is 3 months old now ........he needs some stability guys .......so the move has to be soon!

Anyway ..... I have a website site set up now selling Thai silk etc.... this should have gone live in 12 months time but have zipped it forward in the hope that we can "find our way".... the dream was to travel Thailand searching for arts and crafts to put on the site.............turn a small profit and just .... live! ahhhhhhhh :-)

Is this poss out there? .... pretty green eh?.........

Havent posted the web address as I dont know if this is allowed and I dont want a kick in the stones for spamming!

Anyway ..thanks in advance for your help people .......all sugestions welcome .....enjoy your day and...... rant and self pitty over :-)

See ya soon,

Mike

just do it ,you can always go back home later ,theres many on here done the same thing ,me for one ,in my 14th year and started with 1500 pounds...........

[GuestHouse]

just do it ,you can always go back home later

You can if you have the airfare.

[siamamerican]

......bankrupt?.........new baby?............Thai wife?.............teaching without a degree?..................looks to me.........like...........a recipe for disaster................I say don't do it.....age 38, what visa would you be on?...........could you ever get a.............work..........permit..........? I think.............not.

PB is probably right.

Finding work in a village is possible, but the wages are going to leave you with little savings 10 years from now. Living a very simple life will not be an option, but a necessity. You are escaping a bad situation for, most likely, a worse one.

If you had even a small nest egg, the chances of a happy life in Thailand would be possible. It would be risky, considering the child. It sounds like you spent some time in Thailand. My guess is that you had a little savings and spent a good amount each month. If this is the case, then your quality of life isn't going to be the same. Village life with little money for most farangs is tedious.

Garro, a member that posts quite often, is is married and has children. He lives a simple life and seems to be enjoying himself. I recommend reading his posts and sending him an email.

Regardless, good luck and remember you only live once, so do your best not to f it up.

[Jet Gorgon]

Geez, that's almost half a million dollars. You let him go? No report to the police? I'd pay to find the guy. He's probably living down the road from your wife's village. Somehow, this thread smells a bit toady.

Edited September 6, 2007 by Jet Gorgon

[siamamerican]

just do it ,you can always go back home later ,theres many on here done the same thing ,me for one ,in my 14th year and started with 1500 pounds...........

1500 pounds - that is amazing. Not to pry, but how did you do it?

[britmaveric]

Stay in UK - better off. (least support services are available for you and the family) Won't be there if u go to thailand and having no dosh in thailand is worse than hel_l.

[asiaworld]

well i made my living moving here in a young age, alone, now have plenty of savings.. would it ever be possible if i had to care for thai wife and a kid @ the same time ,, NO frigged waaaaaaaaaaaay !!

Unless your wife is willing & able to work/do business & contribute to running a bankrupt family of course..

[Jimjim]

just do it ,you can always go back home later ,theres many on here done the same thing ,me for one ,in my 14th year and started with 1500 pounds...........

1500 pounds - that is amazing. Not to pry, but how did you do it?

Not really, especially if it was several years ago when things were much cheaper. He probably got a job and made more money but that's all he brought in the beginning.

[Boo]

I can see where the op is coming from. His business is bust, he lost his house & with a small child it must be very stressfull. IMO it would be better for them to move to LOS & then the OP go back to the UK for several months a year alone to make good money temping. It would afford them a reasonable lifestyle in Thailand & he would have at least part of the lifestyle he is dreasming of whilst knowing his wife & baby are secure oin LOS with family.

[siamamerican]

just do it ,you can always go back home later ,theres many on here done the same thing ,me for one ,in my 14th year and started with 1500 pounds...........

1500 pounds - that is amazing. Not to pry, but how did you do it?

Not really, especially if it was several years ago when things were much cheaper. He probably got a job and made more money but that's all he brought in the beginning.

Obviously he got a job and made more money. What is not amazing to you is to me. Just curious if he was willing to share how he put together a nice life in Thailand. I don't think I could've done it.

Jim, are you speaking form personal experience in regards to it not being that difficult to move to Thailand with little savings and not having to leave because of money.

Edited September 6, 2007 by siamamerican

[Westerner]

......bankrupt?.........new baby?............Thai wife?.............teaching without a degree?..................looks to me.........like...........a recipe for disaster................I say don't do it.....age 38, what visa would you be on?...........could you ever get a.............work..........permit..........? I think.............not.

As always a lot of good, common sense from PeaceBlondie.

[Scott]

Let me see if I've got this straight--your business partner takes a big bag to the bank and makes a run for it. Now you want to take a little bag and make a run for it? I don't mean to sound cruel, but sounds like your doing the same not very nice thing as he is.

Now, your plan is to come to Thailand and do "something" while living in a little house that's "just waiting for you"?

Maybe sell arts and crafts (while toting the Mrs. and a 3 mth old baby around)--or leaving the kid with the grandparents.

This isn't a plan, it's called running away. If you think your situation in difficult in the UK, I can assure you that living from pillar to post in Thailand, is going to be a lot worse and infinitely more stressful. This type of "geographical cure" doesn't work.

A number of people have pointed out some of the technical reason and I can assure you that basically your going to end up a rice farmer (nothing wrong with that), but YOU can't get a visa for it.

Sorry to be so glum. I do hope wish you the best. You need to hunker down and get to work there and start digging your self out.

Best of luck.

[true blue]

very difficult to live in thailand with no social security fall back but if you made good money in uk maybe could do it here not sure though you would need set up company b visa premises employ thai ect ect ect good luck what ever you decide

[hiromj]

Try to start a new company, pay off the obligations, and save enough live comfortably for the rest of your life in Thailand. That way, you won't have to live your life looking over your shoulder worried about the debtors. Life is a lot better when you can spend money like a drunken sailor. Pipe dream? I'm sure it is but it may be worth a try.

BTW, sorry about the string of bad luck.

[midas]

We dont know how big a " "babys" bank account " is but

doesnt he need at least 400,000 THb to start with in

Thai bank just to get his own visa ?

[hiromj]

We dont know how big a " "babys" bank account " is but

doesnt he need at least 400,000 THb to start with in

Thai bank just to get his own visa ?

I'm not exactly sure but I believe that rule is for a retirement visa, not a spouse visa. But, I could be wrong.