How Did You Do It?

[teacup]

Just curious

How did you guys do it, moving to Thailand and leaving the life and routines you used to know and familiar with behind?

Didn’t you have to think long and hard before making that decision?

Was it quite complicate or easy decision for you? Why and why not?

Wasn’t the process… time consuming, complicate, expensive (moving with your belongings), and complex - w/visa, money issue, mail forwarding, credit card, language, etc? And even for some of you, not knowing how long you will be there. Or even making the decision to sell it up or not, you home that is?

Not like we will be moving there soon, just curious that’s all. Just thinking about it gives me quite a headache already! So how did you all do and prepare for this big life changing decision?

Was the move worth it? Or what you could have done differently?

[Norrad]

I didn't plan it. I quit my job after a fallout with my boss and planned to spend a year in Asia. Not Thailand though as I had already been here for a short holiday the year before. I was planning on going to China, booked my ticket and then had a visa issue with the Chinese embassy as I had a Taiwanese visa in my passport. So I changed my ticket from Beijing to Bangkok instead and was in Thailand less than 24 hours later.

I didn't plan on moving here at all, I told no-one I was coming here. I've been here just over 2 years now and I don't plan on living anywhere else.

It was a spur of the moment decision that I have no regrets making.

[teacup]

What about your belongings, didn't you have to reroute them, and were there any obsticals bringing/getting them into thailand?

And how did your family back home react of you being in Thailand instead of China?

[toptuan]

What about your belongings, didn't you have to reroute them, and were there any obsticals bringing/getting them into thailand?

And how did your family back home react of you being in Thailand instead of China?

Some of us reduced a lifetime of "stuff" to a couple of suitcases. Lots of garage sales and eBay sales! Considering the friends and experiences I've collected in Thailand, I don't miss any of the "stuff" I left behind. As to outfitting a new home--it's dirt-cheap in Thailand compared to the West. I ended up buying all the essential "stuff" in Thailand (appliances, furniture, etc.) for about 5% of what I sold everything else back in the home country. (And saved all those shipping costs, as well!).

[dogleg]

What about your belongings, didn't you have to reroute them, and were there any obsticals bringing/getting them into thailand?

And how did your family back home react of you being in Thailand instead of China?

It took me a whole day to get my house, the stuff in it, and my car in the auction and get a taxi to the airport!

I made the deision 25 years ago - just deferred it a bit while life got in the way.

Never looked back.

[Norrad]

What about your belongings, didn't you have to reroute them, and were there any obsticals bringing/getting them into thailand?

And how did your family back home react of you being in Thailand instead of China?

I got rid of almost everything while back in my home country. I still have a few things back there though, just incase I ever need to go back. Every trip I take back "home", I find myself bringing a few extra suitcases back to Thailand with me.

My family were surprised at first. I had sent my passport to a few Embassies back in my home country, so that I could get visas for most of Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, etc.). So they didn't know where I was planning on staying. I think they were happy that I chose Thailand as most of them had been here before on holiday.

As most have said, you can replace almost everything quite easily in Thailand. I recommend that you don't think about your move too much, it will only make you worry. Insure that you have a bit of an escape plan, for if thing go wrong, and you will be OK.

[hanibal7]

the main thing i did was to make certain i had enough money to last me,taking in consideration inflation.all my suits,silk ties,good quality long sleeved shirts went in the dust bin,thats when i realised what i had done lol.

5 years on and i dont miss one bit of england except my son and family and my mum and dad,and 2 brothers.i was a sales manager and earned over 40k gross and a new car every year.now i drive a 8 year old hyundai and have a wonderful life.

[sweetchariot]

Similar to above, but I was earning alot more, and don't have kids.

My main house sold very quickly (I still have a few earning rental income), and I basically had 2 weeks to pack up and move out. I invited all my friends and family around, and said help yourself to whatever you would like in the house. They all felt a bit guilty, but most left with carfulls of gear.

I shipped probably about 1/3 of my posessions, cost me £2,000 including a small bung to customs. I hindsight I wouldn't have bothered bringing half the stuff I did, but I still would not have been able to get it all in 2 suitcases. A few tea chests are doable apparently, the shipping company told me I had to have half a container, so I brought lots of stuff I would not have done normally to fill the space.

I thought about it for about 2 months. It was a hidden raise in National Insurance (like social security) that finally convinced me that the UK government are a bunch of theiving despots. After telling me that I was too young to receive a state pension, and then taxing me on my private medical and dental insurance, a 3 fold overnight hike in this 'social tax', for which I would receive absolutely nothing, made me go a bit crazy.

My parents were distraught when I told them, but after visiting last year, and realising that I do have a 'normal' life, they are now considering a move themselves.

Banks and credit cards etc. are no problem, my UK banks know I live in Thailand, and send all paperwork here. Visas are easy once you get your head around it.

A year or 2 before I moved I would have been the same as the OP. I was always chasing the bigger house, better car, nicer suit etc, etc. Always been a career man, that's why all my friends and family were so shocked at my decision. I think there comes a point in everyone's life when you get sick of being dictated to and nannied by your 'democratic' government. When that time comes you will kick back, I just think myself lucky that it came for me younger than most.

I went back to the UK for 2 weeks last year, and have to say that I don't miss it one bit. After 4 or 5 days I was counting down to my return flight.

[hanibal7]

sweetchariot,

you sound identical to me regarding how you approached the move.i kept my house for a couple of years but invested the money abroad after selling.all my savings were sent here and i bought a car,bike,house etc with it.now i live off my private pension that i cashed early and investments,and love it.in england i could spend 200 quid+ on brandy at the weekend,and as you said,private health care tac,tax on company car etc.the government take everything off us.when we still have to pay national health and then the bastaaaaaaaaaaaards make you pay tax on your private medical too.

anyway good luck for the future and stay healthy

[teacup]

5 years on and i dont miss one bit of england except my son and family and my mum and dad,and 2 brothers.i was a sales manager and earned over 40k gross and a new car every year.now i drive a 8 year old hyundai and have a wonderful life.

Yes life is so much easier when you don't have to be a hunter in a Mercedes w/ one hand on wheel, one hand on nonfat double decaf cappuccino, cradling cell phone…everyday, or our useless junks in the garage........isn’t it?

Cheers

[Gary A]

I got here purely by accident. I worked 22 years for a large US company and they decided to divest themselves of the division I worked for. I then went to work for another company and it too was sold and moved.

At that point I accepted a job with an Australian company who wanted to start a joint venture company in Thailand. That was in 1991. In late 1996 when the Thai economy was collapsing, I was happy to leave Thailand and to get back to the USA. After about two weeks back in the good ole USA, I asked myself what I was doing there.

I have spent about five years in the US since 1991 and the rest here. I hope to never have to leave Thailand again.

[sweetchariot]

5 years on and i dont miss one bit of england except my son and family and my mum and dad,and 2 brothers.i was a sales manager and earned over 40k gross and a new car every year.now i drive a 8 year old hyundai and have a wonderful life.

Yes life is so much easier when you don't have to be a hunter in a Mercedes w/ one hand on wheel, one hand on nonfat double decaf cappuccino, cradling cell phone…everyday, or our useless junks in the garage........isn't it?

Cheers

Well I traded in my brand new Audi A8 for a 3 yr old 1.5 Vios. And you know what - I don't care anymore. I'd rather drive a shitheap with no stress than a nice car with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I think I've become a hippie

[sweetchariot]

sweetchariot,

you sound identical to me regarding how you approached the move.i kept my house for a couple of years but invested the money abroad after selling.all my savings were sent here and i bought a car,bike,house etc with it.now i live off my private pension that i cashed early and investments,and love it.in england i could spend 200 quid+ on brandy at the weekend,and as you said,private health care tac,tax on company car etc.the government take everything off us.when we still have to pay national health and then the bastaaaaaaaaaaaards make you pay tax on your private medical too.

anyway good luck for the future and stay healthy

Thanks Hannibal, good luck to you too.

[hanibal7]

i was on 11 points as well so a 3 month ban was awaiting me lol.all because i was driving too fast to get to appointments and using mobile phone when the boss was ringing,and eating a butty too lol.surburbia aint for me on more.

Went a wedding a few weeks ago and dug up my black pin stripe trousers and nice expensive white shirt with shoes too lol.big hotel and a posh do and i felt so uncomfortable.this is the guy who did presentation to 100 people in conference rooms.

so glad i have a quiet life now.

[teacup]

What about your belongings, didn't you have to reroute them, and were there any obsticals bringing/getting them into thailand?

And how did your family back home react of you being in Thailand instead of China?

I recommend that you don't think about your move too much, it will only make you worry. Insure that you have a bit of an escape plan, for if thing go wrong, and you will be OK.

I think my restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain where I’m at very long.

In fact I have been desperate to escape for so many years now, it has become such a routine for me to try to escape….hehe

You’re correct we should all have some type of "escape plan" just in case life in the wonderful house amid the prairies of the far east doesn’t work out. But still not sure about Thailand though….at the moment.

[teacup]

I got here purely by accident.

I worked 22 years for a large US company and they decided to divest themselves of the division I worked for.

I then went to work for another company and it too was sold and moved.

At that point I accepted a job with an Australian company who wanted to start a joint venture company in Thailand. That was in 1991. In late 1996 when the Thai economy was collapsing,

I was happy to leave Thailand and to get back to the USA. After about two weeks back in the good ole USA, I asked myself what I was doing there.

I have spent about five years in the US since 1991 and the rest here. I hope to never have to leave Thailand again.

Gary

You’re such a JINX…...haha sorry but that was soooo funny!

Thanks for the story though

[teacup]

Well I traded in my brand new Audi A8 for a 3 yr old 1.5 Vios. .... I'd rather drive a shitheap with no stress than a nice car with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Sweet, you're craking me up darling! Go ahead tell them like it is!

I think I've become a hippie

low-rise flares, platform heels, and going braless! time

[dclaryjr]

I'm about six years out from retirement and the big move. Sometimes I look in my garage at the boxes of "stuff" and wonder what I'm going to do with it all. I guess I'll sell what I can, see if my kids want anything, and eventually put the stuff on the street with a "free" sign. I hope to to have a nice chunk of cash from the sale of my home to help with the transition. It's still a fairly long way off but I'm sure it will be here before I know it!!

[TheDon]

Im actually in the works in moving to Thailand. Im 28 and have got a 2 story house built in bangkok thanks to the father inlaw.

The Wife and I are currently also paying off a house here in Sydney, I think it will take me 5 more years or 8 years max and I should be retired In Thailand living off rent money (hopefully $350-400 Aussie dollor) a week to live off.

If all goes to plan I will be retired in my mid 30s

I just hope everything goes to plan

[Gary A]

I got here purely by accident.

I worked 22 years for a large US company and they decided to divest themselves of the division I worked for.

I then went to work for another company and it too was sold and moved.

At that point I accepted a job with an Australian company who wanted to start a joint venture company in Thailand. That was in 1991. In late 1996 when the Thai economy was collapsing,

I was happy to leave Thailand and to get back to the USA. After about two weeks back in the good ole USA, I asked myself what I was doing there.

I have spent about five years in the US since 1991 and the rest here. I hope to never have to leave Thailand again.

Gary

You’re such a JINX…...haha sorry but that was soooo funny!

Thanks for the story though

Maybe I am a jinx. The Australian company went out of business too. The Thai half of the joint venture company bought them out. I am happy to report that the Thai company is still in operation.

[TheDon]

I got here purely by accident.

I worked 22 years for a large US company and they decided to divest themselves of the division I worked for.

I then went to work for another company and it too was sold and moved.

At that point I accepted a job with an Australian company who wanted to start a joint venture company in Thailand. That was in 1991. In late 1996 when the Thai economy was collapsing,

I was happy to leave Thailand and to get back to the USA. After about two weeks back in the good ole USA, I asked myself what I was doing there.

I have spent about five years in the US since 1991 and the rest here. I hope to never have to leave Thailand again.

Gary

You're such a JINX…...haha sorry but that was soooo funny!

Thanks for the story though

Maybe I am a jinx. The Australian company went out of business too. The Thai half of the joint venture company bought them out. I am happy to report that the Thai company is still in operation.

I like your story.

[Samuian]

...it's simple, just get off the airplane at the right time, at the right spot with the right frame of mind!

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

I was sent here by my company to build and start up a factory, so I had the full expat support package, including house, car, driver, fat salary, and assistance with moving all my stuff, banks and credit cards, medical insurance, visas and workpermit (the latter two were 3-year deals due to BoI priveledges). I worked out my 3-year contract, and retired at 42, more than 8 years ago. I am lucky to have a steady financial income from Europe, enabling me to live very well here in Thailand. Never looked back!

As to outfitting a new home--it's dirt-cheap in Thailand compared to the West. I ended up buying all the essential "stuff" in Thailand (appliances, furniture, etc.) for about 5% of what I sold everything else back in the home country. (And saved all those shipping costs, as well!).

I wonder about the above quote (if I have read it correctly, if not ME BAD). Say toptuan had "stuff" with a replacement value of B1,000,000. It is IMO not realistic to realise more then 50% of this when sold second hand, probably quite a bit less. But let's stick with 50%, that means B500,000. So now toptuan is going shopping in Thailand with 5% of this, i.e. B25,000...

I would like to know where he did his shopping, or to see the quality of the stuff he got...

[Samuian]

.......

I would like to know where he did his shopping, or to see the quality of the stuff he got...

Even at Index, Concept already the bedroom set would consume more then this figure and their stuff is entirely trash!

[teacup]

I'm about six years out from retirement and the big move. Sometimes I look in my garage at the boxes of "stuff" and wonder what I'm going to do with it all.

Same here!

After we moved to our new home recently, we got rid of half but there is still tons left. We have a minimalist home. There is still quite a bit of so called "junk" along the wall in our 3 car garage. As we’re thinking about retiring and downsizing we will have to do something seriously to them soon.

We have been married for 22 yrs, met and married during our uni year…..to many memories! It will be so hard to throw away our lifetime of memory or shrink them to a few oversized luggage. Sometimes I think I’m too sentimental and hanging on with the past too much, that’s why it’s hard to let go of some of stuffs.

[Jingthing]

It was slightly complicated, but once I made the decision, it all fell into place, step by step. I am not a get on the plane without planning kind of guy. I can't imagine doing that.

[mmushr00m]

Worked my ass off and saved, saved , saved.

Paid off all my bills, gave my stuff away, packed everything I needed (2 backpacks and a carry on).

Said my goodbyes and here I am

Although upon reflection, I might have done some things differently (why did I give stuff away??!!!). But like they say live and learn and it will be lesson learned for when I relocate somewhere else.

Edited May 20, 2008 by mmushr00m

[TheDon]

My question is, what sort of life can you have on say 9000 baht a week? Lets say you dont have to pay rent

[teacup]

Im actually in the works in moving to Thailand. Im 28 and have got a 2 story house built in bangkok thanks to the father inlaw.

The Wife and I are currently also paying off a house here in Sydney, I think it will take me 5 more years or 8 years max and I should be retired In Thailand living off rent money (hopefully $350-400 Aussie dollor) a week to live off.

If all goes to plan I will be retired in my mid 30s

I just hope everything goes to plan

We used to rent our house out in SanFrancisco, while living in another state. Let me tell you, some people just have no respect for other peoples property. Only four were suppose to live there. Well that wasn't the case! They also caused a ton of damage so the house needed to be gutted, repainted, and recarpeted.

FOR US it’s not worth the risk, we sold the place and won‘t be going thru that again.

BTW hope things work out for the two of U, and best of luck on you future move

[Tomkagai]

Just curious

How did you guys do it, moving to Thailand and leaving the life and routines you used to know and familiar with behind?

Didn't you have to think long and hard before making that decision?

Was it quite complicate or easy decision for you? Why and why not?

Wasn't the process… time consuming, complicate, expensive (moving with your belongings), and complex - w/visa, money issue, mail forwarding, credit card, language, etc? And even for some of you, not knowing how long you will be there. Or even making the decision to sell it up or not, you home that is?

Not like we will be moving there soon, just curious that's all. Just thinking about it gives me quite a headache already! So how did you all do and prepare for this big life changing decision?

Was the move worth it? Or what you could have done differently?

After getting divorced in the UK was working contracts in Europe and the US, the particular contract I was on in the US was coming to an end and was offered a 6 week contract in Thailand, normally contracts of such a short duration I wouldnt bother with...but decided to take it figuring I would do the 6 weeks and have a holiday, landed in BKK at 2:00am with one suit case ....nearly 7 years later I am still here....the 6 week contract never ended...