I Nearly Did It......

[Lusso]

............, I nearly moved to Thailand. In July this year after years of pondering I finally decided to pack up and live the dream, only to lose my bottle at the last moment within only days of leaving.

The fly in the ointment was that to fund my overseas life and a prospective business I had to sell my home. That would mean that if for any reason I couldn't renew my Visa or was deported (possibly at a whim) I would have nowhere to live back in the UK. I have only one living relative in the UK and he was reluctant to support me in such an eventuality.

I had a possible business partner already lined up in an established business and even the possibility of romance and more. I have Thai friends in Bangkok aswell. Ever since then I have been in a no-mans land wondering whether I should have done it or not.

I would appreciate any opinoins anyone might have especially regarding the "ease" at which I see some people residing in Thailand, yet the varied warnings about re-entry visas etc not being granted.

Thanks

[harrry]

............, I nearly moved to Thailand. In July this year after years of pondering I finally decided to pack up and live the dream, only to lose my bottle at the last moment within only days of leaving.

The fly in the ointment was that to fund my overseas life and a prospective business I had to sell my home. That would mean that if for any reason I couldn't renew my Visa or was deported (possibly at a whim) I would have nowhere to live back in the UK. I have only one living relative in the UK and he was reluctant to support me in such an eventuality.

I had a possible business partner already lined up in an established business and even the possibility of romance and more. I have Thai friends in Bangkok aswell. Ever since then I have been in a no-mans land wondering whether I should have done it or not.

I would appreciate any opinoins anyone might have especially regarding the "ease" at which I see some people residing in Thailand, yet the varied warnings about re-entry visas etc not being granted.

Thanks

Why dont you rent out your house for a while. Go to thailand for a year and see if it meets your expectations. You may be able to finance your needs with a small mortgage on your house paid by your tenant.

[fred2007]

............, I nearly moved to Thailand. In July this year after years of pondering I finally decided to pack up and live the dream, only to lose my bottle at the last moment within only days of leaving.

The fly in the ointment was that to fund my overseas life and a prospective business I had to sell my home. That would mean that if for any reason I couldn't renew my Visa or was deported (possibly at a whim) I would have nowhere to live back in the UK. I have only one living relative in the UK and he was reluctant to support me in such an eventuality.

I had a possible business partner already lined up in an established business and even the possibility of romance and more. I have Thai friends in Bangkok aswell. Ever since then I have been in a no-mans land wondering whether I should have done it or not.

I would appreciate any opinoins anyone might have especially regarding the "ease" at which I see some people residing in Thailand, yet the varied warnings about re-entry visas etc not being granted.

Thanks

well what can I say it is up to you , you don't have to sell your home in the UK I guess if you have friends here as you said what other problems you expect.I can not comment on visa regulations

ask the Maestro or some one else they will help you

[digitalchromakey]

.The fly in the ointment was that to fund my overseas life and a prospective business I had to sell my home.

Why dont you rent out your house for a while. Go to thailand for a year and see if it meets your expectations. You may be able to finance your needs with a small mortgage on your house paid by your tenant.

Agreed, this is definitely the way to go, I know many who do just this. You can often live here very well on the rental income (if you own a significant % of the property) and even if your mortgage payments are high, you are still covered and have a very nice parachute if things dont work out.

For sure, if you sell, there is little chance of going back in the long term, without significant financial pain.

[Lusso]

Thanks very much for your possitive comments and suggestions. I am lucky that I have paid my mortgage fully and have a monthly income from a pension as well. This does indeed seem the way ahead. I will get on it

[vegas]

Chicken. I left Aussie many times to come to Thailand, only to go back with my tail between my legs. On my fifth attempt I somehow managed to hold it together. 9 years down the track and I'm better off than I ever could have been in Australia.

[Martian]

Wow, someone thinking as I am. I am currently repairing everything I can on my home, trying to sell a small airplane and 2 cars in order to do the "one-year test" at living and teaching in Thailand. I've already held the proverbial yard sale selling everything I don't want or need from many years of consuming, then donated the leftover and trashed what the Salvation Army didn't want. I already own a home in Thailand, have a teaching job lined up and my wife (Thai) just gained her USA citizenship and we are awaiting her US passport.

What led me down this path was my old company let me go after 22 years of faithful service so it isn't like I quit a good job or anything to do this, they made the decision for me, I just have to make it happen. I can afford to do this without selling anything more or even renting out my house but I would feel much better having another 30-40 K in the bank and someone else making my mortgage payment in my absence.

I agree...rent the house to someone and try it for a year. I might just do it anyway for the experience (I managed a factory of 100 employees in Thailand for 3 years so know what working in Thailand is like) and to get into the Thai Social Security system so I can have medical coverage for life as I do plan on retiring in LOS and having medical coverage is a big part of retirement.

Go for it but "protect" your interests should the experiment not work out!

Regards,

Steve

[fred2007]

Chicken. I left Aussie many times to come to Thailand, only to go back with my tail between my legs. On my fifth attempt I somehow managed to hold it together. 9 years down the track and I'm better off than I ever could have been in Australia.

Only if you were a convicted crimilal

[astral]

Not visa related so moved to the General section

[Bangyai]

You didn't say how big your home is, where it is located or what its worth . If its in London and more than a 1 bedroomed flat you could easily downsize to a large studio flat , come out here with say 6-7000 pounds for starters and leave the rest in a bank in England to draw on if you need it. That way at least you will always have a roof over your head in the U.K in case you need medical treatment or you don't like it here. Its not a good idea to turn up here with a large wad of money as there are plenty of con artists here who would fleece you without a second thought. Slowly slowly catcha the monkey.!!

[vegas]

Chicken. I left Aussie many times to come to Thailand, only to go back with my tail between my legs. On my fifth attempt I somehow managed to hold it together. 9 years down the track and I'm better off than I ever could have been in Australia.

Only if you were a convicted crimilal

Translation please

[Lusso]

Thanks bangyai. I live in a 1 bed flat near the seafront in the Southend area so can't downsize anymore. I was planning on operating my finances from an offshore account where transfers of large sums of cash are easier and cheaper. My flat is very rentable though and is very close to the mainline into The City, about 50 mins.

My main concern was the Visa issue. Many ex-pats seem to live in Thailand on 1 yr visas and then rely on extending them. They get married, build homes and have businesses in Thailand on the strength of 1 yr visas. Seems easy to get a visa for Thailand from what I can see but there does not seem to be a clearcut way of staying there unless granted residency after 3 or so 1 yr stays. A bit of a risk if you intend to plunge into all of the above commitments?

Cheers

Edited September 28, 2008 by Lusso

[gunnyd]

You just have to do a cost benefit analysis of the situation. There are many other choices when it comes to retiring to SEA. Thailand is becoming more of a pain in the ass to do so lately (since 2006 maybe earlier) truthfully more of a pain than it already was. If you have ties in Thailand speak fluent Thai, that would be a good reason to choose LOS. Retiree visas are a PIA to get in LOS. 90 reporting, yearly renewal, money requirements, etc. You can not own property. Depending on your finances, Malaysia, Vietnam, The Philippines, even Cambodia can be better choices.

The main thing I'd say is don't cut ties with the UK, even if you are in love, getting married, have a great business. You never know when the rug will be pulled out from under you. Keep your property and rent it out and insure it well. Keep enough funds in a secure account so you can get the hel_l out of town if you need to, and enough to cover medical emergencies and a flight back to farangland to an NHS hospital.

SEA is volatile, IMHO selling everything and not having a backup plan would be very unwise.

[Chaimai]

You just have to do a cost benefit analysis of the situation. There are many other choices when it comes to retiring to SEA. Thailand is becoming more of a pain in the ass to do so lately (since 2006 maybe earlier) truthfully more of a pain than it already was. If you have ties in Thailand speak fluent Thai, that would be a good reason to choose LOS. Retiree visas are a PIA to get in LOS. 90 reporting, yearly renewal, money requirements, etc. You can not own property. Depending on your finances, Malaysia, Vietnam, The Philippines, even Cambodia can be better choices.

Sound advice. If the OP has his heart set on Thailand he seems ideally placed to dip his toe in the water and do the one year test.

Money does not seem an issue (pension, down-sized, large sums of money moving through offshore accounts, mortgage-free flat to rent in Southend). Would appear to fit the requirements for a retirement visa;

Answer - rent somewhere in Thailand for 12 months. If you have definite plans (business, romance, location - Bangkok?) then you know where to go. If you want to sample the variety that Thailand can offer then find a low-cost base and explore a little. You will know within 12 months whether it is for you and you will have lost nothing financially as the cost of living in that time will have been significantly less in Thailand than Southend - as long as you don't try and live like a tourist.

[Lusso]

Thanks gunnyd. Sound advise.

[Lusso]

Thanks too Chaimai. I have been to Khon Kaen a few times and a friend there too who runs an English School. That would be my first stop.

Edited September 28, 2008 by Lusso

[Flatouthruthefog]

Thanks too Chaimai. I have been to Khon Kaen a few times and a friend there too who runs an English School. That would be my first stop.

Hello from someone who was in much the same situation as you in the UK in 1994. I have the short message and the long message for you. The short one goes like this, with a little bit of boring repetition for emphasis:

DO IT. DO IT. DO IT!! Stop messing about and get over here!

Now the long boring bit.

I came to Thailand on a wing and a prayer, a return ticket and only 2,000 pounds, having been totally ripped off in business in the UK. The reasons my Big Step worked were:

a) Like you I had a good trustworthy friend who was here already who could act as a 'home-base'. Not a cash sponsor, but someone who knew the ropes on whom I could rely - and a base from which I could grow.

I lived very very cheaply until I could find an income here.

c) I found one of the FEW things we farangs are allowed to do here legally, did it well and began very very slowly to make ends meet.

d) After a few brief false starts I found a Totally good hearted Thai lady and she is now my wife and soul mate. You don't find these people in bars unless you are ONE in a million. You find them teaching in schools and colleges, or working in government offices or the offices of medium/big companies. If you learn good Thai manners and the very best spoken Thai you can as fast as you can, you have 1,000% more chance than the next expat of finding such a person.

e) Then and only then do you cash in the return half of your air ticket, making sure you do it well in time before all the small print takes it way from you.

Khon Kaen may be a good start point, but in my view it has very few attractions for a westerner long term. By all means give it a good go there. But then come look at Chiang Mai!

Best of luck!

[spiderman2]

I had a possible business partner already lined up in an established business and even the possibility of romance and more.

I'm sure there are many established business's in LOS that would gratefully accept an investor. There are many established business's in England that are looking for investors, if you invested last year, you'd now have next to nowt...these established businesses are called banks.

And the 2nd easiest thing to find in LOS is romance especially if youre viewed as relatively wealthy.

Why not take things slowly rent your flat out for a year then move with your eyes open, im surprised you could find a buyer for it in todays market.

Edited September 28, 2008 by spiderman2

[Chaimai]

Khon Kaen may be a good start point, but in my view it has very few attractions for a westerner long term. By all means give it a good go there. But then come look at Chiang Mai!

Best of luck!

Did you say to avoid Pattaya ?, did YOU avoid Pattaya.

I liked Khon Kaen and can supply contact details for a girl I had to leave behind. Of the relatively few places I have seen, in the last two and a half years, I would also recommend Chiang Mai for anyone wanting an easy introduction to Thailand

[citizen33]

Khon Kaen may be a good start point, but in my view it has very few attractions for a westerner long term. By all means give it a good go there. But then come look at Chiang Mai!

Best of luck!

Did you say to avoid Pattaya ?, did YOU avoid Pattaya.

I liked Khon Kaen and can supply contact details for a girl I had to leave behind. Of the relatively few places I have seen, in the last two and a half years, I would also recommend Chiang Mai for anyone wanting an easy introduction to Thailand

Most of the advice above seems good to me. I know somebody who managed to live for quite a while in Thailand on the rental income from a small house in the UK. Offshore bank accounts can be quite expensive to run if you are not super rich and my advice while you are testing the water would be to open a Nationwide Flexaccount (no charges for exchanging to a foreign currency and easy access to your money via ATMs). Khon Kaen isn't a bad place to live and has most Western-style facilities without the brashness and scams of Pattaya. Other popular options not too far away are Udon Thani and Nong Khai. Many people like the Northern Region and CM, but I did not find that the city appealed to me and prefer Isaan.

[MayBeLater]

Thanks bangyai. I live in a 1 bed flat near the seafront in the Southend area so can't downsize anymore. I was planning on operating my finances from an offshore account where transfers of large sums of cash are easier and cheaper. My flat is very rentable though and is very close to the mainline into The City, about 50 mins.

My main concern was the Visa issue. Many ex-pats seem to live in Thailand on 1 yr visas and then rely on extending them. They get married, build homes and have businesses in Thailand on the strength of 1 yr visas. Seems easy to get a visa for Thailand from what I can see but there does not seem to be a clearcut way of staying there unless granted residency after 3 or so 1 yr stays. A bit of a risk if you intend to plunge into all of the above commitments?

Cheers

Hi Lusso,

Only advice I can give is to work work work, save save save, invest invest invest. Work to save money to invest in your house in the UK. Leave when you paid as much as you can for it. Postpone your dream for some years in order to be better off financially. When you paid all or most of your UK home, rent it out (your can rent part of your house already, students... when you want something badly, a bit of discomfort is ok aint it) and live your dream. Come back once every first or second year for some months, do the big maintenance on your home (when your away you will need someone to do the 'emergancy' repairs), work somewhere for some months, remember why you left and leave again for a period of time. Maybe you will not have to richest of life financially, but still could be very rewarding.

Best of luck,

MBL

P.S. I have 15 years to go Lusso, guess I am the über planner hehhe.

And when you fall in love, use your brains, never ever, no matter what should you get married, its out-dated and hardly anyone does it back home, why would you do it in Thailand or an other 3rd world country where you have no rights? And secondly, tell her your poor, so no house buying, motorbikes or other nonsense. Thirdly, you worked hard for your cash, make her work also. She can pay for herself, thats not your responsibility. She should not think she hit the jackpot when she met you, she met a nice and friendly normal person, not an ATM machine :-)

In short, use your brains.

Edited September 28, 2008 by MayBeLater

[Soutpeel]

Offshore bank accounts can be quite expensive to run if you are not super rich

Rubbish....I run an offshore account out of Singapore and I am not super rich and my banking costs are free

[GuestHouse]

The fly in the ointment was that to fund my overseas life and a prospective business I had to sell my home. That would mean that if for any reason I couldn't renew my Visa or was deported (possibly at a whim) I would have nowhere to live back in the UK. I have only one living relative in the UK and he was reluctant to support me in such an eventuality.

A very wise decision.

One of the golden rules of moving to Thailand is do not burn your bridges.

Thailand is full of foreigners who have done just that, and here on TV you'll read posts from guys proclaiming to the world that they have made the move over to Thailand - What you do not hear is the guys who slope off back home broke.

You have stated that you had a business option already in place (a call on your finances perhaps) you have also stated that you had a romance in the offing - almost certainly another call on your finances.

You have also commented that you are concerned that you might one day need to return to the UK, you have mentioned visa regulations.

Again, well done. The status of almost all foreigners in Thailand is as a 'Guest' a status that can be denied.

Thailand is undergoing a political turmoil right now, one side of the political wrangling has already called for foreigners to be kept out of Thailand - Many are happy to pass this off as crowd pleasing or headline grabbing - It need not remain so.

But the political wrangling will not stop outside the Thai houses of parliament, other changes are inevitable, a non elected change is only a matter of time away, something that worries very many Thais. It ought to give foreigners pause for thought.

So I say well done, being aware of your own limits of risk is a wise thing.

Hang around here a while longer, read up on other people's reports of their life and experiences in Thailand, learn by the mistakes of others before you decide if you are ever going to make the move.

And anyway, now is not a good time to be selling a house or drawing down on investments.

And I'd also advise anyone not to rush into an investment or relationship when you first move to Thailand.

Move to Thailand by all means, but spend time to get to know the place on your own terms before getting into any business or romantic partnership.

[larvidchr]

By all means go, be adventures you only live once, but at least in the beginning don't involve your self in anything you cant walk away from/loose without regrets.

[bendix]

Thailand is undergoing a political turmoil right now, one side of the political wrangling has already called for foreigners to be kept out of Thailand

[harrry]

Thailand is undergoing a political turmoil right now, one side of the political wrangling has already called for foreigners to be kept out of Thailand

A man of few words I see.

[pattaya_girl]

I came for a couple of two week holidays to Thailand 8 Years ago, I fell in love with the place so bought a house here in Pattaya - I rented my bungalow out in the UK and live here quite comfy on the rent. I have no regrets of what i did, my only small regret was leaving my parents, but i do go back now and again for visits. I have now lived here for 7 years, life is far better than it was for me in the UK. Dont sell your property back home, rent it out, thats my advise. good luck to you.

[citizen33]

Offshore bank accounts can be quite expensive to run if you are not super rich

Rubbish....I run an offshore account out of Singapore and I am not super rich and my banking costs are free

Perhaps you would be so kind, sir, as to give us details of the bank and its deposit requirements for free banking. If you check the UK banks, which I imagine would be the first place the OP would look, you will see that offshore accounts are either not free or have rather large deposit requirements. However, I would be most grateful to receive details of other possibilities. I stand by my comment that the Flexaccount would be a good option for the first year or two.

[Soutpeel]

Offshore bank accounts can be quite expensive to run if you are not super rich

Rubbish....I run an offshore account out of Singapore and I am not super rich and my banking costs are free

Perhaps you would be so kind, sir, as to give us details of the bank and its deposit requirements for free banking. If you check the UK banks, which I imagine would be the first place the OP would look, you will see that offshore accounts are either not free or have rather large deposit requirements. However, I would be most grateful to receive details of other possibilities. I stand by my comment that the Flexaccount would be a good option for the first year or two.

Citibank international personal banking, Orchard Road, Singapore....Maintain US$ 20,000 minimum balance..No bank fees..

[Who, me ?]

Thailand is undergoing a political turmoil right now, one side of the political wrangling has already called for foreigners to be kept out of Thailand

A man of few words I see.

Need no more....