Married And Living In Thailand Permanently

[stormbrewing]

I am 38 years old and a United States citizen. I have visited Thailand twice in the past two years and proceeded to fall in love with an Isan woman. I am planning to return to Thailand and get married. I have many concens about this, least of which if the fact I do not have a large nest egg. I thoroughly enjoy life in Thailand and want to spend the rest of my existence there. I do have a college degree, so I could teach english. Another possibility is starting a restaurant or traditional massage shop for my fiance, who is a great cook and a licensed massage therapist. Can anyone give me financial advise as far as my ability to live a quiet, somewhat comfortable life in Thailand. Is it better to make visa runs on a toursit visa or apply for a one-year visa if I am married to a Thai? Will this and other expeness drain my nest egg (approx. 1 million bat) to the point that 10 years down the road I'll be broke (not including any profits from working in Thailand) and unable to continue to live in Thailand? What happens to me when I'm 50 and don't have 800,000 bt in a Thai bank. Will I need to continue making border runs until I'm dead? From what I've read, the Thai government is starting to crack down on frequent border runners. Life in the states really depresses me, so I'm hoping for some kind of miracle here, folks.

[pnustedt]

There's another thread running in the visa section about living costs - I think that the general consensus of many people would be that Bt40,000 a month is required to live a modest life-style in Isaan.

My understanding of having a nest egg to support yourself means allowing for a 4% drawdown to allow your capital to stay intact (i.e. not run out after a few years), by this reckoning you should have a Bt12,000,000 nest egg to consider staying in LOS without other incomes.

Once you're married to a Thai you should be able to obtain a visa with Bt400,000 in the bank and you shouldn't have to do visa runs.

I wouldn't rely on obtaining work after you have immigrated to LOS.

[Coffee Dude]

I had a smaller nest egg than suggested by pnu. I used it to start a Falang oriented business (we live in tourist area). Although I wouldn’t recommend that to you as I came really close to losing it all. I never suggest that people gamble with there future. If, however, you do decide to start a business for your life-mate in Isan the cost should be lower than a business for you. Take your time, don’t rush in, look for a niche that is unsaturated, preferably catering to a Thai based clientele (in Isan) and you should be able allow her to make a comfortable 1-2000 baht per day. Most importantly realize that if you are successful you will be copied, so, keep your secrets close and the copies will be inferior and your life-mates business will remain preferred.

Coffee!!!

[falong]

I am 38 years old and a United States citizen. I have visited Thailand twice in the past two years and proceeded to fall in love with an Isan woman. I am planning to return to Thailand and get married. I have many concens about this, least of which if the fact I do not have a large nest egg. I thoroughly enjoy life in Thailand and want to spend the rest of my existence there. I do have a college degree, so I could teach english. Another possibility is starting a restaurant or traditional massage shop for my fiance, who is a great cook and a licensed massage therapist. Can anyone give me financial advise as far as my ability to live a quiet, somewhat comfortable life in Thailand. Is it better to make visa runs on a toursit visa or apply for a one-year visa if I am married to a Thai? Will this and other expeness drain my nest egg (approx. 1 million bat) to the point that 10 years down the road I'll be broke (not including any profits from working in Thailand) and unable to continue to live in Thailand? What happens to me when I'm 50 and don't have 800,000 bt in a Thai bank. Will I need to continue making border runs until I'm dead? From what I've read, the Thai government is starting to crack down on frequent border runners. Life in the states really depresses me, so I'm hoping for some kind of miracle here, folks.

Nest Egg? Sounds more like a jelly bean. You are completely out of your mind if you think you can make a life here with 1 mil baht. You can't be serious.

[Coffee Dude]

One thing I neglected to mention and is the subject of many threads here. Your life-mate MAY become the largest obstacle to your longevity in Thailand. This happens more often than we like to admit, although it is by no means a sure bet.

Coffee!!!

[Tornado]

"Married And Living In Thailand Permanently, can it be done on small income"

can be done, but why would you want to struggle, stay in the US and save a bit more.

[bkk barney]

1 million baht aint really a lot of dosh, ok u need a car or truck and also to buy a house and furniture etc, now if u got that already, then u stand half a chance here with ur 1 million baht, but, and its a big but, u got to then start earning some money, and pretty d.amn quickly aswell, cos ur 1 million aint gonna last long.

[loong]

1 million Baht is not enough..

Don't even consider a business for your lady - 99% certain to come unstuck.

If you were thinking of renting premises in a tourist area, these are usually priced expecting rent to be subsidised by a Farang. Mostly they dont make money.

Outside tourist area you've next to no chance.

Thai girls are famous for starting businesses with Farang money doomed to go belly up. They don't do research, have no idea of the costs involved and expect you to pay her an allowance. Most Thais are incapable of running a business.

Previous advise is sound. Stay and work in your own country, economise and save. This is probably your only chance

The best way to make a small fortune in Thailand is to start with a large one

[loong]

I am 38 years old and a United States citizen. I have visited Thailand twice in the past two years and proceeded to fall in love with an Isan woman. I am planning to return to Thailand and get married.

You don't mention where you met your ladyfriend, was /is she a bargirl?

How long have you actually spent in Thailand and how long have you known your girl?

Have you really thought things through?

You may think I'm cynical but most Farangs initially get their fingers burnt, and badly.

May Farangs holiday in Thailand, love it, meet a girl and fall in love with the first smiling girl they meet. Next thing is marry and then live to regret it. If you haven't read it, get a copy of the book "Money Number One" This is a humerous book, but still very much the truth!!!! It's available in all the bookshops in Thailand, don't know if you can get it in USA.

In Thailand, unless you are VERY lucky you will have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your princess. The girls, in particular those from Isaan, flock to the tourist areas with the sole intention of getting some money and a Farang husband. The longer they stay in a place like Pattaya, the more they learn how to fleece farang.

99% are only interested in the money that they can relieve you of.

You don't have to believe me but before you make any decisions about your future, get to know some expats living in Thailand. I guarantee that they will have an endless supply of stories about people exactly the same as you. Your toes will curl.

Good Luck

[siam]

Storm,Take advice from those that have posted,Try and save for another year or 2 or even longer as you are still young,

I too am 38,but will be going out to CM next year,But i will be returning to the UK after 6 months,for a little while,so i can always top up my money,I wouldn't dream of living there only on 1 mill,a decent pick up will cost you 350k-upwards.then there's running costs,insurance fuel,servicing,you could rent a place which will be cheaper in the beginning,but will eat away your lump sum at at least 10-30% per year,then you have to feed yourself and pay the bills on your rented abode,and that's if you live like a hermit will no social life and no G/f tagging along.After 2 year if you were lucky you'll be skint and living back home,depressed as ######,

Work at it,and you can make a dream come true,As they say no pain no gain,

[hkthai]

Don’t come. You have 1 mil to your name and want to make due with teaching English for a living. You’ve only been here twice in the past two years and probably as a tourist. Mind you I don’t know who you are or your ambitions. The fact is you’ve only seen Thailand through Tourist Goggles and have not the experience of living here on a daily basis where you’ve actually got to earn your keeps.

It’s tough enough already being a foreigner living in a different land but also having to sketch out a living on a local salary. It’s not that cheap to live in Bangkok or for that matter Isaan. If you want to live the American dream in Thailand (home/auto ownership/vacation once a year, etc.) you are not going to be able to do it on an English teacher’s salary. If you want to live like a Thai, well the English teach salary should be doable. However, I am not all sure you would enjoy living like a Thai given the fact that you probably have had some experience with a typical US lifestyle.

Hey, life can be a pisser in the US but you haven’t seen what life can be like in Thailand when you are down and out on your luck. It can be very brutal for Non-Thais as well as Thais alike!!

Stay there and work your ass off. Save your money and draw up a plan as well as a budget. Make sure you have enough money to be financial independent when/if you plan on moving here. If you miss the little lady, well take her back to the US with you…but that’s another topic altogether.

[skycop51]

New here but am married Thai for over 31 years. I dreamed so many years ago of retiring to LOS. Got to go back in 2002, and fell in love with it again.

Now I am retired out of the USAF, do not have a lot of money. Hope to have 50k US, and with our retirements should have 2k a month. Wife has land in Uttaradit and we are going to build.

Hope we can make it! I bet we can.

Bill

[ajarnski]

Wow...I'll be retired from the AF also in 13 months and 19 days. Anyhow, what most people had said is true. 1Million baht will not be enough unless u can live like a Thai. Most western men I know can't live like that. Granted, I've seen some that adjsuted well to the Thai lifestyle and make it on less than 20,000 baht per month. As long as u want to live in Thailand and enjoy simple things like the average Thai, you can make it.

But in the end, we are all different. 1000 people can tell you you won't make it but they are not you. Only you truely know what you want and how much sacrifice you will make to live with the person you love. As for me, I rather live with my girl on Thailand and strugle than live without her in luxury.

I guess I am lucky in that I am Thai national with US citizenship so I won't have to do Visa runs and I can own land. Oh, you must be pretty high ranking in the AF to make 2K per month on retirement. I'll only make about $1100 per month after taxes and stuff but that is alot more than my GF's pay of $150 per month.

Wow...long winded but what it boils down to is....don't get discouraged if others here can't live on what you plan to live on. It will be "up to you".

Ski........

[RamdomChances]

It can be done on 1 mill, but you will be fighting the odds all the way. I'd try and save a bit more first, once you are out here making money gets a lot harder, espesially if you dont have much to invest in the first place.

As has been stated before life in thailand can be very harsh if you dont have any money.

[Khun Larry]

I am 38 years old and a United States citizen. I have visited Thailand twice in the past two years and proceeded to fall in love with an Isan woman. I am planning to return to Thailand and get married.

A friend of mine gave me the following wisdom on Thailand:

Never buy a bar

Never fall in love

As for Living in Thailand Permanently after 2 visits?? Chookdee

[sua yai]

Over the years, I've spent quite a lot of time in Isaan. Never lived there full time, but did spend weeks on end with an ex girlfriend. This was in the country, not main towns.

I always reckoned on spending 1,000 a day. This would cover beer/lao kao, food, cigarettes and "incidental extras" for the two of us and the family. No accomodation costs as we stayed on the farm.

So, 30,000 a month would give you a decent lifestyle. A million would keep you going for 3 years.

Your situation may not involve alcohol, tobacco and family, but I wouldn't count on it. If there is family up there and they're involved in rice farming, remember that there are long periods of the year when they will be idle.

[Martin_F]

Please consider the prospect of children. In thailand

Marriage=Children

You then have the worries of schooling, Thai school or Internationalm and later on university.

If they go to Thai school their English will generally be very poor, and it is very rare that we are able to pick up enough Thai to talk to them.

My two go to International school and we we look at cost in the region of THB240K p.a in total for both of them. ie THB20K/mth, that's your teaching salary gone.

Then university, are you happy to send them to a Thai university or would you prefer that they had the case oppertunities that you had. I don't know if you went, but you surely had the oppertunity.

Then there is health care, it's not up to the same standards, especially in Isan, and for the care that is up to international standards the prices are out of budget.

Therefore weigh it all up first.

But all in all, if you both love each other there is always ways to make it work. It just depends on both compromissing.