How Many Falangs In Thailand Are Broke?

[AYJAYDEE]

anyone with a western passport can make 20k baht atleast a month teaching english... i would hardly begin to worry about 'broke' farang. most thais dont come anywhere near that salary range.

Only if they either have a degree and TEFL or they work illegally. I would also add that in addition to a Western passport they should, in order to teach English, be reasonably fluent in the English language. But this depends on the person's ethics and how desperate he is to stay in Thailand.

As for living on a pension in Thailand it depends on how much of a pension a person is drawing. The basic UK old age pension is something around 120 GBP per week. That works out a little over 1000 Baht per day (at today's exchange rate). Although it is possible to live on that it leaves absolutely nothing for the unexpected or even a hint of a social life. It also is fine until you need medical attention, then you are well and truly screwed.

To try and answer the OP's question I have heard and observed some people living in Thailand that are absolutely brassic (and lint - skint - broke - penniless). I have never met them as I prefer to avoid these people whose lives are little more than a rolling disaster. Invariably they will try and turn any conversation round to money as a lead in to asking for a "loan". So by avoiding contact with these types I avoid feeling uncomfortable when I just say no.

1000 baht a day???!!!. iknow plety ofguys who spend nowherenear that and live very comfortably.

[JohnBanPrang]

Another old post.

Mouth to mouth.

Help us.

Sorry, died.............................

[RAZZELL]

I am confused by all this.I live in Chiang Mai and my pension is about 94,000 baht a month at the current exchange rate,which I think is ok but my wife says her Thai friends look down on her because she is with a "poor" farang.

I think she's winding you up.

Not too many Thai's on 94,000 baht a month

RAZZ

[farmerjo]

I am confused by all this.I live in Chiang Mai and my pension is about 94,000 baht a month at the current exchange rate,which I think is ok but my wife says her Thai friends look down on her because she is with a "poor" farang.

I think she's winding you up.

Not too many Thai's on 94,000 baht a month

RAZZ

When i came to los 4 years ago a wise farang told me, boy it will cost you to learn to live here i spent 10 mil learning.

So i am pretty happy to get away with 600 thou.

Saw a mate lose 2 mil in 6 months and go home with tail between his legs.

[opebo]

but i cant eat that stuff i eat only thai food and for me a pad kaprao with a fried egg on top costs me 15 baht or 2 curries on rice i get for 20 to 25 baht

Where do you live that pad krapow with a fried egg still costs 15 baht, or two curries on rice for 20-25? Pad Grapoa and a fried egg is about 30-35 baht everywhere I've been, and two curries on rice are 30-35 baht as well. But certainly I agree that Thai food is generally quite good and on the whole better than cheap farang food (not better than expensive French cuisine or something like that, but still, on the whole good).

i suppose some people only come for the women..which is as far as i am concerned stupid, as Thai women dont like farang they just like their money.

Why would we care if they 'like' us? I would expect a prostitute to like money, not me. But I certainly agree it is unwise to do more than short time.

...have internet for 300 a month 1mb another 100 baht a month gets me 50 cable tv channels...

Wow, again where is this? I thought those services were MUCH more expensive than that, so I never got them.

But regarding the original question, yes I think the vast majority of farang working in Thailand are broke, just like working people everywhere. Heck why would one work if one weren't broke? (particularly for 35,000 baht per month).

Edited September 19, 2008 by opebo

[TopDogger]

I am confused by all this.I live in Chiang Mai and my pension is about 94,000 baht a month at the current exchange rate,which I think is ok but my wife says her Thai friends look down on her because she is with a "poor" farang.

Isn't that something like over 10x the average Thai monthly wage up there?

[opebo]

1000 baht a day???!!!. iknow plety ofguys who spend nowherenear that and live very comfortably.

I have to say life does get pretty dull at anything under 30-40K baht per month. Typical teacher's salary of 35K is definitely living hand to mouth.

[Wrong Turn]

1000 baht a day???!!!. iknow plety ofguys who spend nowherenear that and live very comfortably.

I have to say life does get pretty dull at anything under 30-40K baht per month. Typical teacher's salary of 35K is definitely living hand to mouth.

In Bangkok this is hand-to-mouth. OK to do it for a year when someone is in their 20s. I did it. Great times. Good memories. But if people plan to look ahead they end up stuck, and option diminish the older we get.

[LooseCannon]

When i came to los 4 years ago a wise farang told me, boy it will cost you to learn to live here i spent 10 mil learning.

So i am pretty happy to get away with 600 thou.

Saw a mate lose 2 mil in 6 months and go home with tail between his legs.

Wise?

[JSixpack]

I am confused by all this.I live in Chiang Mai and my pension is about 94,000 baht a month at the current exchange rate,which I think is ok but my wife says her Thai friends look down on her because she is with a "poor" farang.

I think she's winding you up.

Not too many Thai's on 94,000 baht a month

RAZZ

Yeah, trying to squeeze out more. No end to Thai greed. Personally I can't feel comfortable living w/ anyone who's just there for the money.

[Geekfreaklover]

can someone who teaches english check around and see how many have 500,000 K in the bank?

sorry sir, i just dont follow most of your reasoning. no offense as some dont understand mine.

ps. im kinda lost by showtimes posting too!

Is that good or bad? I wanted shortime, but someone had already taken it. Showtime's ok. BallBreaker is good, but that's taken too. I give my TWGF baht just for listening to me. It's almost like talking to myself except people, who don't know me, won't think I'm crazy. Guys can have many reasons for loving (how's that?) their TWGF's.

It can't be good for a farang to be broke in Thailand. Maybe if he can speak Thai. Before someone had mentioned a transliteration of a Thai phrase. The second word was ngoc. Do you know what that means cyn?

Farang Kei Nok - lit translation - Farang bird s**t - Its a metaphor meaning poor farang.

Edited September 21, 2008 by Geekfreaklover

[Heng]

It also refers to farangs with poor manners, financial status not withstanding.

[imaneggspurt]

I am confused by all this.I live in Chiang Mai and my pension is about 94,000 baht a month at the current exchange rate,which I think is ok but my wife says her Thai friends look down on her because she is with a "poor" farang.

I think she's winding you up.

Not too many Thai's on 94,000 baht a month

RAZZ

no , he wont be joking, these women really do brag to all the other women about what they have etc, and no matter what you give some it wont be enough,.,,its pathetic, but i reckon you could give one a million baht and she would think " well if he gave me 1 mill he must have more ", and then she would go for that,.

[Neeranam]

1000 baht a day???!!!. iknow plety ofguys who spend nowherenear that and live very comfortably.

I have to say life does get pretty dull at anything under 30-40K baht per month. Typical teacher's salary of 35K is definitely living hand to mouth.

In Bangkok this is hand-to-mouth. OK to do it for a year when someone is in their 20s. I did it. Great times. Good memories. But if people plan to look ahead they end up stuck, and option diminish the older we get.

I did it for years too and some of the happiest days of my life. When young and single, 40,000 is MORE than enough, you could have a good life on 30,000.

Things change, obviously, with wife and kids especially if wife doesn't work. 40,000 would be pushing it in Bangkok but certainly not hand to mouth.

Many expat don't know the value of money here.

Also, what's being broke got to do with happiness? Which is more important.?

Edited September 21, 2008 by Neeranam

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I've been rich and I've been poor and I don't care what anyone sez.........Rich is better!!!

[Neeranam]

I've been rich and I've been poor and I don't care what anyone sez.........Rich is better!!!

So have I, and the best times were with little money.

Someone once told me, "money and spirituality don't mix".

How right they were.

[lazeeboy]

ive got enough money to last the rest of my life ,only thing is i'll have to die tomorrow

[cmsally]

Strange, for me, there is a direct correlation between financial status and happiness.

But then again I am female so maybe that's the reason .

Money buys you freedom to choose, and I like my freedom too much to become poor.

[jitagon]

It's all about what you're used to of course. I read an article yesterday about a guy in the US who, just for the hel_l of it, rented a huge mansion he used to cycle past as a child. He said that in the end, you got to feeling that you couldn't do without all the stuff that went with it, the pool house, the elevator to take you up the five flights or so, the aircon, the three kitchens forty bedrooms etc etc. I've always lived fairly frugally. I never wanted to have to work for the new car, the mortgage payments, the new tv etc. But I have been broke a few times, and found I could live very well indeed for an entire week on what I used to spend on a weekend. I can't believe the money I used to spend here! And I'm sure I was no happier then than I am now. No, it's not nice being skint - but quality of life really doesn't equate to how much your last restaurant bill was.

[Pierrot]

I read an article yesterday

I'm really impressed !!!

I've always lived fairly frugally. I never wanted to have to work for the new car, the mortgage payments, the new tv etc.

Could you anyway ? To make money you need some basic qualifications

But I have been broke a few times,

That I can believe

and found I could live very well indeed for an entire week on what I used to spend on a weekend.

You're always been a cheap guy anyway

And I'm sure I was no happier then than I am now.

and a sad ass too

No, it's not nice being skint - but quality of life really doesn't equate to how much your last restaurant bill was.

You will never know, will you ?

[jitagon]

I read an article yesterday

I'm really impressed !!!

I've always lived fairly frugally. I never wanted to have to work for the new car, the mortgage payments, the new tv etc.

Could you anyway ? To make money you need some basic qualifications

But I have been broke a few times,

That I can believe

and found I could live very well indeed for an entire week on what I used to spend on a weekend.

You're always been a cheap guy anyway

And I'm sure I was no happier then than I am now.

and a sad ass too

No, it's not nice being skint - but quality of life really doesn't equate to how much your last restaurant bill was.

You will never know, will you ?

'Ere, yoo gettin' a little pissed off becoz I keep 'avin' a pop at you Parrot?

[MiG16]

alright people

I read through the thread, and still cant figure:

what is the thread to establish? what do you want to discuss/debate?

what difference does it make to know who / how many farangs (or Thai for that matter) are poor?

besides, I dont think anyone on this forum can provide that answer without conducting a full scale survey.

all I see is attacks against something/someone or the other.

enough