Advice Please

[gman007uk]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[gman007uk]

[crewcut]

1000 GBP per week is alot to give up. I have heard that IT work unless you can manage to get into some multi national is hard for foriegners to get into. There are alot of well skilled Thais who could do the job for alot less than you expect to be paid. You could try in find niche market like IT training in English, or get in touch with businesses in the UK that do business with Thai companies and may be train them in any new IT software or the likes. But it will be tough going to find a job like this. Teaching is another option but being Indian unfortuantely you will not be able to demand as much as a native speaker and with no degree or TEFL your options again will be limited.

Why don't you try and get some un-paid leave and come and live in Thailand for 6 months or so. This way you leave the option of going back to your well paid job open and you're are on the ground in Thailand to look for work. Opening a business is also possible but I have no real ideas (and if I did I wouldn't neccessarily tell you).

Good Luck and I hope things work out.

[BalthazarBeefheart]

I think also you need to consider the cultural aspects of moving to Thailand where you will be looked upon as Indian - which in my experience is not favourable. Sometimes one is better off with the devil you know. Good Luck.

Cheers BB

[binnsy]

I think also you need to consider the cultural aspects of moving to Thailand where you will be looked upon as Indian - which in my experience is not favourable. Sometimes one is better off with the devil you know. Good Luck.

Cheers BB

thats probably no different to the UK

go 4 it you are young enough if it does not work out

no good thinking what might have been

[OxfordWill]

Besides a MNC, your only hope of maintaining your income would be to invest heavily in online property. The question is, do you have the funds and skills/support to realise such investments?

[gman007uk]

I think also you need to consider the cultural aspects of moving to Thailand where you will be looked upon as Indian - which in my experience is not favourable. Sometimes one is better off with the devil you know. Good Luck.

Cheers BB

thats probably no different to the UK

go 4 it you are young enough if it does not work out

no good thinking what might have been

Thanks crewcut, balthazarbeefheart and binnsy. You guys all had very good points and i think i will go for it and spend about 6 months out there like crewcut suggested and see what happens. Last time i was in Pattaya and Bangkok i wasn't allowed in a few bars and discos until i pulled out my passport! I thought this can't be right being discriminated against in Asia. But at the same time i met so many great people out there including expats. Also the way of life is slower than London which i'm after right now. Do you guys live in Thailand?

[gman007uk]

Besides a MNC, your only hope of maintaining your income would be to invest heavily in online property. The question is, do you have the funds and skills/support to realise such investments?

What is a MNC? To be honest the answer to your question is no i don't have the skills for investing in online property. In relation to funds how much are we talking?

[crewcut]

Yes G man, in Northern Isaan. Been here and else where in Thailand since the mid 90's.

Come over here and have a look around its often easier to get doors to open if your standing directly behind them so to speak.

You may experience some racism, you may not, either way you'll also meet some great people I'm sure.

Take your time with that 30K and make sure you don't blow it. As the big S man sang 'Fools rush in ...'

Good luck again.

CC.

[Pushit]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

There's a large Indian community in Bangkok, start there you should get their advice

[blizzard]

unless you got money or a good job lined up , dont go.

culture schmulture dont pay the bills.

[BalthazarBeefheart]

I think also you need to consider the cultural aspects of moving to Thailand where you will be looked upon as Indian - which in my experience is not favourable. Sometimes one is better off with the devil you know. Good Luck.

Cheers BB

thats probably no different to the UK

go 4 it you are young enough if it does not work out

no good thinking what might have been

Thanks crewcut, balthazarbeefheart and binnsy. You guys all had very good points and i think i will go for it and spend about 6 months out there like crewcut suggested and see what happens. Last time i was in Pattaya and Bangkok i wasn't allowed in a few bars and discos until i pulled out my passport! I thought this can't be right being discriminated against in Asia. But at the same time i met so many great people out there including expats. Also the way of life is slower than London which i'm after right now. Do you guys live in Thailand?

Yes I live in BKK and my advice to you is to continue with your consulting and take time between contracts to test the water in Thailand - building up more capital as you go along - 30 grand dont seem like enough to me. You come here and things don't work out you will find it very difficult to get back contracting.

Cheers BB

[Joe Walshe]

I lived in Thailand and London in my mid-twentys. For a few years I worked, as an Architect, on contarct in London for 3 to 9 months and then spent 3 to 9 months in Thailand. The money I earned, including OT, made it unnecesary and pointless to work in Thailand for small money. I always arrived back in UK full of energy and ready for long hours. No regrets, perhaps you should do same for awhile. Good luck

[legag]

Is Thailand where you heart longing for? I am glad to hear this. But when you're hesitate then they answer is just THERE! You're not ready to move to Thailand taking all risk and become upon be called 'blokey' and guilty for leaving country. Save up more and come visit!!

Living and visiting Thailand are totally different story!! Thailand is all good once you are not living here but as soon as you move you know the reality hits you hard and almost knock out. No more chillin, no more letting day goes by. Expenses, Make a living, Deal with culture and all Thai system works - oh I'm telling you it's a big change. Are you ready? If so, come on. If not, stay where you are until things are solid and then move over here. We always welcome you and those who love Thailand sincerely.

[mark100]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Racism isn't really an issue here so l doubt you will have any problems. l left the UK 7 years ago l had my own buisness doing ok, but it is quality of life you have to consider, life here is wonderful and you don't need alot of money to enjoy it.

Finding the right buisness isn't easy, but there are people who make it here, and l think the principles are the same wherever you are, hard work and more hard work.

Export to the UK is an option, but you have to find the right product, lm looking myself now.

Good luck in what it is you decide to do, but make the move its worth it.

[blizzard]

i agree you dont need a lot of money to live in los, it also must be said you wont make mut..............lol.

[jcgodber]

Hay! Call me crazy but what about moving to India.

I am quite sure there are some wonderful places to live there.

Jim

[legag]

India? That should not be even an idea of place to move to! I have been there once and ohhhhh .. it's priceless experience. Thanks Jim. Edited September 13, 2007 by legag

[Prakanong]

I lived in Thailand and London in my mid-twentys. For a few years I worked, as an Architect, on contarct in London for 3 to 9 months and then spent 3 to 9 months in Thailand. The money I earned, including OT, made it unnecesary and pointless to work in Thailand for small money. I always arrived back in UK full of energy and ready for long hours. No regrets, perhaps you should do same for awhile. Good luck

I did that too in IT Contracting

I did work as a consultant in Thailand for while too - not as much as the UK/Europe but still not a paper boy's salary either - 10K-15k THB a day

I did return to Europe contracting though then moved to permie and got posted to Singapore which i actually prefer working in to Thailand which is 2 hours a way and every weekend if I want (I do not go that much)

[Prakanong]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Why not try Singapore - plenty of IT work - a very liveable city and two hours away from Thailand with lots of flight options and quite inexpensive to fly?

Lots of Indian IT workers here too - there must be 10 in my MBA class

[JimmyCA]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Try india, alot of action there

[legag]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 Thanks!

Try india, alot of action there

Ouch ouch ouch!! It's upper hook there Jimmy.

[vegas]

You're welcome to join our cricket team if you can bat or bowl...even if you can't.

[blizzard]

sounds like you will face a lot of racial dicreemination in bkk if one goes by the previous posts!

i gues the logical place for an african american raised in usa or uk would be to live in afreeka.

[Prakanong]

sounds like you will face a lot of racial dicreemination in bkk if one goes by the previous posts!

i gues the logical place for an african american raised in usa or uk would be to live in afreeka.

Good one!

There very blatant discrimnation in Thailand though from what I have seen.

They try to hide it in Singapore and have multi-racial campaigns etc but it still exists.

A colleague of mine is of Indian descent but is a Singaporean national who went to Uni in the UK - sounds much more BBC English than most English.

He said when he was younger there were four classes in Singapore

At the top was the white european expat

Then the Chinese - Straits chinese being the top of this sub-group

Then the Malay

Then at the bottom the Indians

He is glad to say its not like that now though (or not as bad or hidden???)

My Indian colleague do like it here and all the guy's I knopw on the MBA seem very happy. An American Dr whose family is Indian has complianed not about his own situation but how the Indian labourers are treated ie riding in the back of trucks etc but a lot of people and not just Indian mention that.

Edited September 13, 2007 by Prakanong

[britmaveric]

Edited September 13, 2007 by britmaveric

[britmaveric]

Indian tailors are what cause problems - pain in the arse. Not to mention they don't treat the locals too well. Unfortunately their reputation tars any indian gents that might be ok. (since you weren't allowed in certain spots - this is the reason)

[chiang mai]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I appreciate that the UK may not be ideal for currently for a host of reasons but you really do need to move slowly on this one because the "grass is greener" syndrome doesn't always hold true. The fact is that you are engaged in a field (my old field also) that pays well and the market for your services is booming currently. You will be highly unilkely to get into the same field in Thailand although opportunities will exist in other parts of SE Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc and also very much so in India - rates of pay will not however be close to what you are making currently.

Your £30k savings will not last a long time in Thailand and you are too young to retire so you need another plan. Try looking at Jobserve for positions in Asia and see if you can't land a contract in the region that will allow you to gain first hand experience of the region - I spent some fifteen years doing exactly the same thing and it was very lucrative - the UK is a major hire point for such positions.

The other alternative of course, as has always been suggested I believe is to work in the UK on contract for three months and then holiday here for a couple of months before repeating the cycle, altogether a much better proposition. As for the racist side of things, unfortunately racism exists in every part of the world and it's probably best not to let idiots and biggots interfere with any plans you may wish to make in your life.

Good luck

Edited September 13, 2007 by chiang mai

[gman007uk]

Hi i'm 31 yr old single indian male living in London. I was born and brought up in London. I earn £1000 per week working as an IT contractor. I'm thinking of going to Thailand and starting a business with minimum £30,000. Don't know what business yet but will decide when i go back again in Nov. Do you think i am making a mistake since i know the odds are stacked against farangs as it is but being indian as well and with the racism i'm slighty concerned. I am not happy in England and need to lay roots soon. Before the plan was America but too dificult to get a job there without degree. I've applied for many jobs in Thailand but have had no joy. I've spent a few months in Thailand and fell in love with the place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I appreciate that the UK may not be ideal for currently for a host of reasons but you really do need to move slowly on this one because the "grass is greener" syndrome doesn't always hold true. The fact is that you are engaged in a field (my old field also) that pays well and the market for your services is booming currently. You will be highly unilkely to get into the same field in Thailand although opportunities will exist in other parts of SE Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc and also very much so in India - rates of pay will not however be close to what you are making currently.

Your £30k savings will not last a long time in Thailand and you are too young to retire so you need another plan. Try looking at Jobserve for positions in Asia and see if you can't land a contract in the region that will allow you to gain first hand experience of the region - I spent some fifteen years doing exactly the same thing and it was very lucrative - the UK is a major hire point for such positions.

The other alternative of course, as has always been suggested I believe is to work in the UK on contract for three months and then holiday here for a couple of months before repeating the cycle, altogether a much better proposition. As for the racist side of things, unfortunately racism exists in every part of the world and it's probably best not to let idiots and biggots interfere with any plans you may wish to make in your life.

Good luck

Firstly i just want to say thanks to everyone for their advice. I didn't expect to get so much responses really so thank you! Just to let you know that i currently work for the Houses of Parliament in the UK as a support analyst for politicians and VIP. I have security clearance so if i do not work for a year in this type of environment i will lose the clearance. That's why i have reached out for advice from more knowledgable folk. Secondly i am not the typical indian professional sterotype. I can actual play cricket and football to the comment sent by one individual. I will go out to Thailand in November and spend a month with permission from my present employer. I will look into Singapore as an option. But to be frank i'm in my 30's and do want to settle down sooner rather than later in a one place that i can call my home, so spending time between two countries may leave me in a state of limbo i feel.

[gman007uk]

Indian tailors are what cause problems - pain in the arse. Not to mention they don't treat the locals too well. Unfortunately their reputation tars any indian gents that might be ok. (since you weren't allowed in certain spots - this is the reason)

Yes i agree with you on that one. They are annoying as well as the tourists from India that are really loud.

But i nearly had a few rows with people from England. I saw a guy on a bus in Pattaya so since i'm a confident guy i said "hi" to him. I said " You from England" he said "yeah" then i carried on " i'm english too how's it goin?".

He replied "no your not your indian" At that moment i was so angry and stared him straight in the face which made him look towards the floor. The thought that i am being thought of like that made me even more sure i wanna get out of England. But saying that i have a lot of great friends from different ethnic backgrounds, i guess he was not from London.

Any more advice would always be welcome