The Truth On Living In Thailand?

[Jingthing]

Funny to read that people staying here in Thailand , with no intention to leave themselves give

an advice not to retire here at all , bit of a contrast isn't it ?

Maybe it is with us staying here long term do not wish to many to come over .

Before you know they say too many foreigners , and we all have a new requirement hanging .

Funny indeed.

I do intend to stay unless I can't/don't want to comply the latest immigration rules. I am pretty sure that day will come, whether soon or years from now, no way of really knowing.

I think you have it all wrong. I think most of the people who realize this is a bad place to retire say the exact opposite; how else are they going to sell their condos/houses to but a fresh crop of starry eyed suckers?

I tell the truth because I am an ethical human being. This deal is not for everyone, the Thai retirement program is a bad deal that offers no long term security whatsoever. And it is likely to get even worse. If you get that, and still want to come, WELCOME!

BTW, I read the same kind of warnings before I heavily invested here and moved here, and I didn't listen, so like me, there probably always will be a fresh crop of starry eyed suckers.

Also, I do love living here, but I now consider my life here just a really long vacation, because that is all immigration offers, and not a lifetime retirement decision, because you have to be in serious denial to think you have that assurance here.

[teacup]

......

Not sure why you're reading what I'm writing as negative. I'm trying to find out if Thais want me, or farangs in general, in Thailand. If so great, sounds like a wonderful country. If not, I'll look elsewhere. Regards.

Was I coming down on you? I thought I was being quite helpful answering your questions, really from one of the “inside” sources.

Perhaps you didn’t like the answers?

I can see that the great thai educational system has prepared you to deal with anybody not thai. You have rice, you have nightlife...that is it....

Where did you get that stat professor?

Try to interact more outside rice fields and your kind of themepark environment, you will realize more than a few of us can converse a bit more in English too. Not all of us are peasants, poor, helpless, and uneducated.

[Abrak]

Wow I read this thread and I suddenly think that Thailand is about to suddenly throw all the foreigners out of the country.

I have lived here for 15 years, have had two businesses here, own 3 houses, 4 condos and am a permanent resident. I have no plans on going anywhere and in 25 years time I plan to retire here. Am I missing something?

[Jingthing]

Wow I read this thread and I suddenly think that Thailand is about to suddenly throw all the foreigners out of the country.

I have lived here for 15 years, have had two businesses here, own 3 houses, 4 condos and am a permanent resident. I have no plans on going anywhere and in 25 years time I plan to retire here. Am I missing something?

Duh!

You are a permanent resident!

People who enter on retirement visas are not eligible to apply for permanent residence. Their low insecure status is the same on day one as on year 30 of being in Thailand. These issues don't apply to you. Enjoy.

[lancelotlink]

Treat me like a human being and I will show more respect to those they worship.

[vantexan]

I tried to keep my original question as respectful as possible but it's amazing some of the perspectives given. But mostly this turned out to be very informative. I appreciate the experience and hard earned wisdom shared. Bottom line after reading all this is Thailand isn't easy, but it's worth the effort. But whether or not I end up there depends on Thai authorities keeping the financial requirements reasonable. And 10 years is a very long time where Thai authorities are concerned! Thanks again.

[Naam]

Yes, you keep your currency and I will keep my U.S. dollar...get back to me next year and we will discuss the issue again. What does Bush have to do with the currency, you spaz?!

if you ask that question you are acutally not entitled to an answer. take a look at this picture (€UR/USD), look where the dollar was when Clinton left and what happened to the dollar after Bush became president:

[PeaceBlondie]

I tried to keep my original question as respectful as possible but it's amazing some of the perspectives given. But mostly this turned out to be very informative. I appreciate the experience and hard earned wisdom shared. Bottom line after reading all this is Thailand isn't easy, but it's worth the effort. But whether or not I end up there depends on Thai authorities keeping the financial requirements reasonable. And 10 years is a very long time where Thai authorities are concerned! Thanks again.

Howdy, I'm from Texas, too But Mexico is not the border towns (I know, I lived and worked in Brownsville/SPI). Chiang Mai is nice for ten months of the year (I live there all year now). I'm seriously considering moving back to the interior or central coast of Mexico.

If you are only working toward a modest pension, it appears quite likely that you will not meet the requirements for retirement visa in Thailand, sooner or later. But maybe you'd love living here in Chiang Mai thirty years from now, when the population locally exceeds three million and...and...who knows?

As for the truth about Thailand, maybe we don't know what truth is, any better than Pontius Pilate did when he asked Jesus.

///Added:/// We might not want to get in a big discussion here about Bush, politics, Federal Reserve, etc., but currency exchange ratios do matter. I arrived here when my dollar bought 41 baht; two months ago it was less than 34. On a modest pension, that would be extremely important the next time they greatly increase the required pension amount in baht.

[lazeeboy]

I tried to keep my original question as respectful as possible but it's amazing some of the perspectives given. But mostly this turned out to be very informative. I appreciate the experience and hard earned wisdom shared. Bottom line after reading all this is Thailand isn't easy, but it's worth the effort. But whether or not I end up there depends on Thai authorities keeping the financial requirements reasonable. And 10 years is a very long time where Thai authorities are concerned! Thanks again.

Howdy, I'm from Texas, too But Mexico is not the border towns (I know, I lived and worked in Brownsville/SPI). Chiang Mai is nice for ten months of the year (I live there all year now). I'm seriously considering moving back to the interior or central coast of Mexico.

If you are only working toward a modest pension, it appears quite likely that you will not meet the requirements for retirement visa in Thailand, sooner or later. But maybe you'd love living here in Chiang Mai thirty years from now, when the population locally exceeds three million and...and...who knows?

As for the truth about Thailand, maybe we don't know what truth is, any better than Pontius Pilate did when he asked Jesus.

people who bitch about thailand ,bitch in there own country ...........

[wilko]

If you see it as an "us and them" thing, that's what it will be.