thai culture is fine and dandy but its rather lacking in sophistication. carabou is nice but i need some shakespeare, some handel every now and then. good luck finding such here. and its not just the lack of venues or resources, its the environment as well. how many times have you discussed classical music or independent films or kants take on abstraction while here? it doesnt happen. im a football (us version) hooligan, too, but not 24/7 like so many here.

thailand feeds the body (climate, geography, women, food, etc.), but not the soul (unless youre drunk or overly sentimental).

I'm not drunk although in recent times I may be somewhat sentimental. Other than during the past five years I have never simply set down and just looked around. While sitting, relaxing and looking, I ask myself why am I a lucky one? What if I had been born in the middle of a rice paddy? What if I had been born in Zimbabwe? Could I cope with that life? I am not wealthy but I am very grateful that I am comfortable and expect to be so the rest of my life. I'm sure that having your health and contentment is much more valuable than money. A very wealthy older good friend of mine once told me that he would give all of his money for just ten more years of good health and life.

I think if I were still in the US, I would not have these thoughts and would be feeling sorry for myself because some of my neighbors were better off than I was.

Think that's a very good point made by Gary A and one that people usually overlook.

My view was that in the first year in Thailand I learnt a lot about Thai culture, Thai ways etc. After that I found I didn't learn so much or receive so much stimulation from the Thais. So I questioned why was I here?

I actually find now that while the Thais themselves don't teach me much any more, and I don't necessarily receive much stimulation from Thailand and Thais, it is however, an environment which does faciliatate a lot of thought. Like Gary A you start to look at life in different ways. You find the answers inside yourself, and in looking at things differently. Thailand taught me how there could be a very different point of view, and a different way. Just opening up the single door, opens up a million other possibilities in how to look at and approach life. Thais maybe open one more level/dimension. It's up to yourslef to open the millions more.

yes, a very good point. thailand does tend to stimulate different outlooks on life, which is often quite refreshing. however, all this is rather passive and singular. you cant exactly go to some cultural event which strives to depict these differences, and then discuss them with educated folks.

thai culture doesnt examine itself. the unexamined life is not worth living...well, at least it grows quite dull.

On the subject of expat millionaires in Thailand, I think the poll is a reasonably accurate reflection of the people who have voted. I think a few will have voted inaccuartely, but overall largely accurate of voters.

I don't think it reflects the proportion of expat millionaires on Thai Visa. Only those who voted. Of 60,000 members: Less than 10% regularly are active in posting. Less than 1% voted.

Nor do I think it reflects the proportion of expat millionaires in Thailand.

Now hold those thoughts for a moment

When we here all those stories and stereotyping on the internet, and on Thai visa, about the way Thai life "is" in Thailand, just remember the possible correlation with accuracy.

Relationships between Thai ladies (men) and foreign men (ladies) are a good example. What we see on "tinternet" "Thai Visa" and read in papers is the vocal 1%'s and the 10%'s on the particular subject.

Interactions between Thais and non-Thais is similarly representative.

Sorry if I've shattered a few illusions, but Thai Visa is just one small perspective of life in Thailand.

Blimey the bar girls will flock to TV members now they know that 30% odd have assets of more than 40 M!!! I think I will have to start wearing my "I am a TV member" T shirt and hope they dont think it means "transvestite"

What bracket do the people who have just worked and saved fall into?> I would be interested to here aa i cant seem to save anything

Blimey the bar girls will flock to TV members now they know that 30% odd have assets of more than 40 M!!! I think I will have to start wearing my "I am a TV member" T shirt and hope they dont think it means "transvestite"

Good one. . That smiley icon summed up the post, where do I find it?

Remember though: many a true word is spoken in jest. Reading the number of posts on here about bar girls and TV members, I'd say the bar girls are ahead of the game...and worked all that out years ago. The unusually high number of millionaires on here, does seem to go hand in hand with the unusually high number of BG stories.

An interesting question, real property cash Ect preety easy stuff.

But what is the value of a monthly goverment retirement tax free, with a annual 3% cola.?

It has a value but, it's not an asset that can be sold and you have to live to get it.

What that value is transfered as net worth I have no idea. But in my case probably the most valuable thing I possess.

I was talking to a financial planner in Australia the other day and he reckoned that a 50 year old would need 1.4 million dollars in super to generate an indexed income of 70K a year for the rest of his/her life.

Of course you would need a house to live in as well.

The Australian dollar is about 95c to the US dollar and 30baht will buy 1 AUD.

So i reckon you would need about 700k AUD plus a house in Thailand to generate an indexed 90k baht a month.

I could happily live on that amount in Thailand but it is not a huge amount and it is definitely not a huge amount if you are living in Bangkok.

Additionally the biggest expenses as you get older are often health care and that can be very expensive in Thailand whereas in Australia at least you are covered by medicare.

If you are younger than 50 you will need more money than that.

So as others have stated a million dollars isn't a lot of money these days.

I'm not drunk although in recent times I may be somewhat sentimental. Other than during the past five years I have never simply set down and just looked around. While sitting, relaxing and looking, I ask myself why am I a lucky one? What if I had been born in the middle of a rice paddy? What if I had been born in Zimbabwe? Could I cope with that life? I am not wealthy but I am very grateful that I am comfortable and expect to be so the rest of my life. I'm sure that having your health and contentment is much more valuable than money. A very wealthy older good friend of mine once told me that he would give all of his money for just ten more years of good health and life.

I think if I were still in the US, I would not have these thoughts and would be feeling sorry for myself because some of my neighbors were better off than I was.

i doubt that very much Gary. i don't know you personally but it think you have (as we say in Germany) the "heart located at the right spot". of course that literal translation into english does not make too much (or maybe not any) sense. perhaps it makes more sense if i tell you that you are one of those TV-members who's lifestyle i envy once in a while.

(as we say in Germany) the "heart located at the right spot". of course that literal translation into english does not make too much (or maybe not any) sense.

In English we have the same idiom Naam. "Their heart is in the right place" It means someone's words or actions are used with good intent even if they don't seem to be.

Why does this thread keep coming back into the new posts / top of the forum ?? Yet I have read the above post days ago..

Could it be because people post poll answers ?? Thats a possible I guess..

My poist above was kind of as a test also to see if there was a corruption in the DB.

Why does this thread keep coming back into the new posts / top of the forum ?? Yet I have read the above post days ago..

I've been thinking the same thing....