Taking One Year Off

[bonviveur]

First I would like to thank anyone who can give any advise on this.

I am contemplating coming to Thailand for a year to look for business opportunities, would I be able to stay here for a year with $52,000 as my budget including visa run?

I have been coming to Thailand for years now but never more than six weeks at a time, the area of business of interest would be a franchise. The thinking is it would be a proven system plus the help I would get from the company would suit me best as being new to the country.

Is $1000 a week enough to spend for a year here, I don't drink nor smoke, not a big party animal I can eat street food, been bless by a strong stomach, I would like to travel throughout thailand see a lot more of it.

Thank you

[Moonfruit]

You could survive and live quite nicely on a little more than half of that, depending on where in the kingdom you want to be.

You would live like a king, if you were single and with the lifestyle that you describe, albeit are you taking a car purchase into consideration?

[bonviveur]

Thank you Moonfruit

No car purchase for now at least not until I could secure a steady income.

[kiakaha]

First I would like to thank anyone who can give any advise on this.

.... including visa run?

Do you have a 1 year multi entry Non Immigrant visa lined up ?

[bonviveur]

First I would like to thank anyone who can give any advise on this.

.... including visa run?

Do you have a 1 year multi entry Non Immigrant visa lined up ?

Yes I do

[siamamerican]

Is $1000 a week enough to spend for a year here, I don't drink nor smoke, not a big party animal I can eat street food, been bless by a strong stomach, I would like to travel throughout thailand see a lot more of it.

Thank you

You won't have any money issues, unless you live like a short term tourist throughout your stay. When I visit Thailand for a couple weeks, I rarely spend more than 1k a week. I don't smoke, eat local food and party some - 25k would more than sufficient to cover all my expenses for a year. I lived very comfortably in CM for about 3 years on a budget of 1.5k per month.

Try this budget calculator:

http://www.retiredexpat.com/living-in-thai...-calculator.php

Good luck!

[zorro1]

$1000 a week back home = 100k a year income before tax which puts you in the top 10% income bracket in all first world countries giving you a great lifestyle in USA, oz, Britt etc. Your now coming to a 3rd world country and you need to ask if this amount is enough? Good luck with your biz ventures here but I imagine that you would need to be making a profit of at least 1k a week and your clueless that's why your in this forum. IMHO just enjoy your 52k one year holiday and as you don't drink or smoke it only leaves street food rent and p**sy Lucky Ba***td!!!

Edited December 25, 2007 by zorro1

[not5150]

You'll do just fine. In fact you'll find your costs to be much lower than expected (compared to your six-week trips).

I'm planning out the same thing for March and I've made an Excel spreadsheet to help me plan out the expenses. PM me if you want the link because I'm not sure how the mods view external links.

Your biggest expenses will be housing and entertainment. A decent condo in pattaya will be around 10-20k baht a month. Your entertainment costs will be lower than your short term trips because you will lose the urge to go out every night (like I do on my long-term trips).

[zorro1]

You'll do just fine. In fact you'll find your costs to be much lower than expected (compared to your six-week trips).

I'm planning out the same thing for March and I've made an Excel spreadsheet to help me plan out the expenses. PM me if you want the link because I'm not sure how the mods view external links.

Your biggest expenses will be housing and entertainment. A decent condo in pattaya will be around 10-20k baht a month. Your entertainment costs will be lower than your short term trips because you will lose the urge to go out every night (like I do on my long-term trips).

Post your link the mods are OK with it. I'm curious

[not5150]

http://www.not5150.com/pattayaspreadsheet.zip

The above link goes to a zipped Microsoft Excel file. The numbers are for Pattaya and then converted to US Dollars at the end.

You basically plug in your numbers and the totals will autocalculate.

As with all budgets, what you consider to be a decent living will probably be different than mine. On long trips, I'm ok with going out to the bars once every two or three days. Other people feel compelled to go out every night.

[wasabi]

I'm planning to spend 1,000 a month! I can't imagine spending 1,000 a week. I can hardly do that in the USA.

[siamamerican]

http://www.not5150.com/pattayaspreadsheet.zip

The above link goes to a zipped Microsoft Excel file. The numbers are for Pattaya and then converted to US Dollars at the end.

You basically plug in your numbers and the totals will autocalculate.

As with all budgets, what you consider to be a decent living will probably be different than mine. On long trips, I'm ok with going out to the bars once every two or three days. Other people feel compelled to go out every night.

Well, you are going to live every day as if it were your last. Seriously, 15 short times and 3 full sevice massages per month. Are you playing catchup? Not my style, but good luck with meeting your goals:)

You budgeted nothing for travel, but probably not your thing.

[Naam]

http://www.not5150.com/pattayaspreadsheet.zip

renting for 15k but spending triple the amount on partying and sex? what a life!

edited to remove derogatory expression.

Edited December 26, 2007 by Naam

[not5150]

Always plan for worst case scenarios, then you won't be surprised.

Yes, you should probably include costs for travel. For example, you should always have enough money on hand to buy a return ticket home - or already have it bought. God forbid, you get one of those late night calls about a relative getting very sick or worse.

[blizzard]

you have enuff $s to last a year.

you dont sound like you ready to go into buznit in thailand.................lol.

whats the nameof the franchise you interested in?

for 1200$ you can buy a noodle cart with franchise support....................lol.

[JimsKnight]

Last a year on 52k??? You could last a year on a quarter of that amount!

Theres 2 week heros/millionaires and now we've got a 52 week hero!

The economy is bracing itself for a miniboom now it knows you're coming into LOS

[torrenova]

Don't know if you can get one but a "B" multi visa would make it easier if you wanted to get a WP etc. Minimum is a multi non imm "O" with 90 day border runs.

Your budget is so high as to make the proposition too straightforward. You have to be more realistic because if you go into business you will not have that income to live on. Therefore I'd try and live on an income which you might be able to earn when in business. It will also leave you cash to support your potential business.

However, your total capital, if it is $52k, is not really enough to get a business which will give you a good lifestyle. Perhaps a franchise but I don't know. There is not a lot there for premises.

I can talk more confidently about Pattaya as I live there. So here goes.

Rent - 12k - 15k for a good studio in View Talay 2. Everything on site, good transport etc.

Utilities - 3k for ADSL, electric, water etc.

Transport - 3k using a mixture of baht buses and motorbike taxis. Even with your own bike you'll not drive when drunk surely ?

Insurance - 5k ??? you could purchase it outside Thailand or inside. Could be any amount, but say perhaps 5k.

Food - 10k for some home eats but most from outside with some western meals included.

Entertainment - ??? an unknown quantity but as you do not drink you're looking at any female companion costs.

Travel - ??? you have a desire to travel but you want a business. The two are not compatible.

So we have about 15+3+3+5+10+???+??? which is about 36+??? so lets say 60k per month. Of course, you'll need a PC or laptop unless you already have one and you'll need to put down a deposit on a condo and there will be other one off items.

As you have a desire to travel, I'd get into an easy lease (not 6 months - PM me if interested in Pattaya) and travel first. Work out where you want to go and look at the seasons as some places are no fun at certain times of year ! Then do your travelling and allow perhaps 2 months for that. Then you may be in a position to figure out where you might want to live or stay and then consider a business.

I'd suggest making some contacts in an urban environment if you are serious about the business and that will require you going out to socialise in the beginning. Don't get drawn into buying someone's business and don't really think about starting something until you have about 6 months under your belt.

If you're in or around Pattaya drop me a line.

[bonviveur]

Thank you all for your inputs, I have a better idea now of what to expect .

Yes, I don't see myself spending $1000 a week, I am trying to anticipate any bills or other expenses that I may over look. I figure in the first three months I will spend it but I hope to reduce my spending to 1k every three weeks and later every month. From what I have been reading on this forum it's possible even if I endup living in Bkk which where most franchise do well.

I spend no more than $100 to $150 a week now living in New York but that is because I know where everything cheap is, been there done that. I am starting so high for the learning curve and because of all of your help here the learning can be greatly reduce and avoid some pitfall.

Not5150, thank you for the speadsheet that is a great guide.

[kudroz]

You can live here comfortably with less. I have established in another thread that you could live (survive) with around ฿20,000 per month. If you want to be comfortable, eat western food and travel it'll be ฿40,000+ a month.

[bonviveur]

You can live here comfortably with less. I have established in another thread that you could live (survive) with around ฿20,000 per month. If you want to be comfortable, eat western food and travel it'll be ฿40,000+ a month.

Can you let me know where I can find that thread, I would love to take a look at it.

[kudroz]

You can live here comfortably with less. I have established in another thread that you could live (survive) with around ฿20,000 per month. If you want to be comfortable, eat western food and travel it'll be ฿40,000+ a month.

Can you let me know where I can find that thread, I would love to take a look at it.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=158684

[blizzard]

new york on 150$ a week. you should have yr own tv show.

now you not making sense.

if 150 in new york, bkk can do 50$ a week.

ps where r you reading bkk franchises do well. i would think some do and some dont. and if you want one that guarantees success you looking at big startup capital. ex mcsomchai.

[bkk_mike]

new york on 150$ a week. you should have yr own tv show.

now you not making sense.

if 150 in new york, bkk can do 50$ a week.

ps where r you reading bkk franchises do well. i would think some do and some dont. and if you want one that guarantees success you looking at big startup capital. ex mcsomchai.

If you're looking to buy some sort of franchise, if $52K is all you've got, including to invest, you may have issues (unless it's a place that doesn't need much in the way of premises).

Remember, as a foreigner, you can't easily borrow money here for a startup. (Ran into that problem when I first moved here, as I naievely assumed I could simply get a mortgage based on my income.)

[bonviveur]

ps where r you reading bkk franchises do well. i would think some do and some dont. and if you want one that guarantees success you looking at big startup capital. ex mcsomchai.

If you're looking to buy some sort of franchise, if $52K is all you've got, including to invest, you may have issues (unless it's a place that doesn't need much in the way of premises).

Remember, as a foreigner, you can't easily borrow money here for a startup. (Ran into that problem when I first moved here, as I naievely assumed I could simply get a mortgage based on my income.)

$52k is not the money for me to do business with it's just to come and spend a year while looking. I got a lot of help here from the folks here, I can bring this amount down to about $30K.

Sure you can spend $150 in new york a week as long as don't make any major purchases, working 12 to 14 hours a days for six days when i don't really have time to spand a lot.

Thank you all and specially for the budget sample.

[smartecosse]

i find that quite pathetic that someone has actually done a spreadsheet on costs of living in Thailand that includes expenditure on prostitutes.

probably be quite popular with all the sex tourists though.

They can sit there and work out that if they don't eat more than a dollar a day a they can have one extra happy ending

[blizzard]

its not pathetic!

why do you think guys want to live in thailand.

[MrSquigle]

I came here with a similar option to the OP, only it took me 3 years to find something to do and I took off 1 year prior to coming here for practice.

I started a lonely hearts club here...similar to a dating site where i help lonely couples meet.

I call it "Feelin all alone...I'll find ya someone to bone"

Edited December 29, 2007 by MrSquigle

[zorro1]

I came here with a similar option to the OP, only it took me 3 years to find something to do and I took off 1 year prior to coming here for practice.

I started a lonely hearts club here...similar to a dating site where i help lonely couples meet.

I call it "Feelin all alone...I'll find ya someone to bone"

been there done that... being an ozie mine was a bit more sophisticated, I called it "you wanna root ya big galoot"