Is Thailand A Good Place For A Young Man To Spend His 20's?

[Sabum]

I moved to Thailand when I was 24, now into my thirties. I made some mistakes, got involved with the wrong girl, lost a bit of money. But hey, wouldn't change some of the memories for the world.

I

So how did you financial support yourself?

I often wonder if under 50 year old Farangs that manage to stay here are legit and those under 50s that are planning to reside here, how do they intend to gain an income?

Why do you have such strange notions? I and all my falang friends here have successful jobs or businesses and are all much under 50.

Moved here in my late 20's, wish I'd come younger but then think maybe I needed the wisdom gained with a bit of age first and am thankful for it.

[blue eyes]

AD1985,answer YES one word to remember Pattaya!

[Tyree D.]

I'm 26, got wife and kid over here wouldn't change for the world for now has I have a good job. If your thinking about teaching then I'll feel without the right qualifications your'll be wasting years of your life

Oh, I'm not a teacher and never will be

what do you do then? I think this post was really negative to not say what you do but to talk down a profession. tell those that want to know what options there are to fully enjoy Thailand as a resident in your 20s. And don't point out my intentional grammatical mistakes

[Geekfreaklover]

I moved to Thailand when I was 24, now into my thirties. I made some mistakes, got involved with the wrong girl, lost a bit of money. But hey, wouldn't change some of the memories for the world.

I

So how did you financial support yourself?

I often wonder if under 50 year old Farangs that manage to stay here are legit and those under 50s that are planning to reside here, how do they intend to gain an income?

Why do you have such strange notions? I and all my falang friends here have successful jobs or businesses and are all much under 50.

Moved here in my late 20's, wish I'd come younger but then think maybe I needed the wisdom gained with a bit of age first and am thankful for it.

Also, I think it's a bit easier to learn the language when a bit younger...I don't know why this is...

Some of my more senior Farang friends let they good ladies take care of cummnicating for them...Can be a big mistake.

[ourmaninbangers]

After hearing of the greatness of Thailand and its people/culture I've made plans to relocate there after graduating (my career allows this) The prospect of being in a simpler culture where the people are friendly, the girls are beautiful, and the costs of living are cheap sounds great. Also I hate the western ideal of chasing status/material possessions so I think the Buddhist culture here would fit me well.

However recently I've had this nagging feeling that I may be making a mistake. I have been thing that maybe Thailand is great for older men, but not young.

Question that are on my mind recently include:

-Will I be isolating myself in a culture of people who I don't understand and an expat community that shares little in common with me? Even if Thai people are easy to befriend I want friends who share commonalities of the west. But how many western guys in their 20s are even out here?

-Is it going to be harder to attract girls the "old fashioned" way with language and cultural barriers? (I feel when I'm young I should mostly still work for it)

-Will living in this foreign world rob me of a richer set of life experiences that I could have had in the US, with a culture I grew up in and understand? (ie am I going to envy what other people my age got to do and/or look like a reject if I came back to the US)

I guess the short of it is that I wonder if Thailand is a place to get away when change from the western life is desired, or if it is just a better place to be in general.

I will ultimately have to go and see for myself but if anyone has a comment I'd like to hear your opinion.

Thanks

advice from my male friend

1- thai's are not really buddhists at all. At least what they follow is far removed anything lord G said. They , by large are quite materialstic

but very happy and much simpler.This is not a thai bash. I love this place. But I see things for what they are

2- simpler because for one, they are taught not to think( hence one is not allowed to ask questions of a certain set of people, you wil have to get used to this sort of nonsense)

3- career- great move, here you may meet people that are hard to access at home due to your white face, and jump start your career, you also could not.

For as many rags to riches story's I have heard of just as many sad ones.

take a chance..

[fauxie]

Sure, why not? I'm 27 and have been living here with my now wife for a good 6 or 7 years now. Life's good. I top up the water, buy new flowers and pray to the spirit house once a week and everything just seems to go swimmingly.

I don't know about the whole prostitute situation/dating etc. as a young person. I met a girl the first time here and just happened to strike it lucky. Wasn't looking. I had fun back then as a young guy (I'm still young!) but I was doing the relationship thing already rather than playing the field or anything. That was fine by me as I was, and am, very content.

Thailand is an awesome shit-hole where nothing works but everything fun can be done. It's sunny and the food is good. I love it here

Edited November 27, 2008 by fauxie

[jc99]

In terms of missing out on life experiences back in the USofA, I wouldn't worry about it. I left the states for Europe after High School 10 years ago; all my old buddies are right where I left them!

In terms of Thailand, why not just go for it and see what happens? There is no point in planning the next 10 years of your life but I would take the advice of other posters and find something to keep you busy for at least 1 year. If things aren't up to your expectations then you can always go back.

I'm in a similiar position, have wanted to move to Thailand since I was 23 (now 29), but I was too focused on my career and paying off massive student loans. After burning out from a supposedly great job and finding life empty part of me regrets taking the path I did (but the loans are paid off). The wise folks on TV talk of the huge difference between living in Thailand and taking a vacation, and I wouldn't question them. So why not come over for a year and see you can manage not living like a rockstar?

That's the plan for me at least. All the best of luck to you!

[freitag1]

I'm in my twenties and have been living in los since 3 years and its good. Here are lots of immature and simple minded guys of all ages who are on an ego trip because they can have all the girls here while they wouldn't get a decent looking girl back in their country.

Some nice people are around here as well of course. I'm just dam_n picky when it comes to making friends and don't feel like wasting time with people who act like they have sticks up their @ss or nerds who feel like pimps. You find these kind of low lifes in their twenties, thirties, fourties, fifties and sixties.

Anyway los is what you make out of it. I wouldn't recommend working in Thailand at all. (I run an online business with friends in Europe and the US). Make sure you get paid like you would get paid back home or you will just waste time in Thailand and one day maybe return to your country as a poor guy.

[Denim]

I think you've missed the bus. You might do better making Cambodia the place to spend your youth.

[freitag1]

Your questions doesn't really apply. Money doesn't mean the same thing in relationships in Thailand. In the West, people say "If you love me, you won't care about my money" in Thailand, they say, "If you love me, you won't care about your money." Even the poorest of the poor works his ass off for a dowry, and being generous is the most important thing to be in Thailand (much like being independent is the most important thing in the West) This is a major source of conflict if you don't understand whats going on. A corollary to this is that if you have more money, you can be more generous, and get more respect.

Wrong! This might apply to some greedy lower class girls here but if you look for an educated middle class girl she won't be any different to a girl back home. She usually makes enough money for herself and won't expect anything from you in terms of financial support. It's a pity that so many people already think relationships with Thai's have to work like CuriousGeorge writes. If you are one of them just keep on paying for your girls and live in your dream world. Whenever she finds a better sponsor she will be gone.

[Andrew Hicks]

After hearing of the greatness of Thailand and its people/culture I've made plans to relocate there after graduating (my career allows this) The prospect of being in a simpler culture where the people are friendly, the girls are beautiful, and the costs of living are cheap sounds great. Also I hate the western ideal of chasing status/material possessions so I think the Buddhist culture here would fit me well.

However recently I've had this nagging feeling that I may be making a mistake. I have been thing that maybe Thailand is great for older men, but not young.

Question that are on my mind recently include:

-Will I be isolating myself in a culture of people who I don't understand and an expat community that shares little in common with me? Even if Thai people are easy to befriend I want friends who share commonalities of the west. But how many western guys in their 20s are even out here?

-Is it going to be harder to attract girls the "old fashioned" way with language and cultural barriers? (I feel when I'm young I should mostly still work for it)

-Will living in this foreign world rob me of a richer set of life experiences that I could have had in the US, with a culture I grew up in and understand? (ie am I going to envy what other people my age got to do and/or look like a reject if I came back to the US)

I guess the short of it is that I wonder if Thailand is a place to get away when change from the western life is desired, or if it is just a better place to be in general.

I will ultimately have to go and see for myself but if anyone has a comment I'd like to hear your opinion.

Thanks

The key strategy in life surely is to keep your options as open as possible. If you burn no boats then everything is flexible and you can respond to the changing situation as you wish.

Live for the day with eye to the future. What seems to be a wonderful and enduring experience can become tedious and limiting remarkably quickly.

What can be more boring than a blue sea, white sand and palm trees after a time, even if the tedium is moderated by the occasional dusky maiden. (Buddha says hands off though by the way.)

I live in Thailand permanently and love it but then I'm a sexagenarian.

Andrew

[Shah Jahan]

I moved to Thailand when I was 24 and never considered ever living anywhere else.