Expats In Thailand

[fred2007]

To all of you farangs who live in Thailand quiet comfortably on your pensions you received from overseas

and still complain about the value of the GP or US dollar which makes your life so hard over here.

Try living on Thai wages as I have to do now. Would you go to the markets and sit there trying to sell

any thing just to make a living ? I guess not!! And pls no comments about ( you invest only as you can afford to loose )

[Geekfreaklover]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

[fred2007]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

I am not working as a foreigner here, I live here no I don't export even so I reley on the tourist

industrie a little but I also have another business which makes sero, nilch. Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

[henryalleman]

To all of you farangs who live in Thailand quiet comfortably on your pensions you received from overseas

and still complain about the value of the GP or US dollar which makes your life so hard over here.

Try living on Thai wages as I have to do now. Would you go to the markets and sit there trying to sell

any thing just to make a living ? I guess not!! And pls no comments about ( you invest only as you can afford to loose )

i do understand your problem, but don't you have the option to return back to your home country if live is so difficult in LOS?

[fred2007]

To all of you farangs who live in Thailand quiet comfortably on your pensions you received from overseas

and still complain about the value of the GP or US dollar which makes your life so hard over here.

Try living on Thai wages as I have to do now. Would you go to the markets and sit there trying to sell

any thing just to make a living ? I guess not!! And pls no comments about ( you invest only as you can afford to loose )

i do understand your problem, but don't you have the option to return back to your home country if live is so difficult in LOS?

unfortunately I have not, I do not have a superanuation anymore and waiting for the pension will take about 4 years lost my house over there so I would not even have a place to stay and living

on a unemployment benefit would not even cover the cost to rent a room over there let alone all the other things.

[henryalleman]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

I am not working as a foreigner here, I live here no I don't export even so I reley on the tourist

industrie a little but I also have another business which makes sero, nilch. Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

You should keep in mind that most of the retirees come to Thailand after they worked hard for 40 or more years back home. Should not blame or envy them for this. And most of the retirees I know have a Thai spouse, so they don't have to make Visa runs.

And of course they are upset with the strong Baht because they had not foreseen this, and its effect their lifestyle.

For myself I was planning to buy a Benz now I have to buy a BMW , just joking.

[PhilHarries]

Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

So you are complaining how little money you make doing your own business.

If you are in business and making absolutley zilch you need some serious self appraisal.

Plus you do not have to come up with the visa run costs, you do it because you want to be in Thailand. If you want to be in Thailand to the extent that you'll work for nothing then get on with it. Look on the bright side, a 25% devaluation of nowt still leaves you with nowt so you are no worse off.

[Bangyai]

.

For myself I was planning to buy a Benz now I have to buy a BMW , just joking.

Tell me about it. I was going to buy my girlfriend a bicycle from Big C but now she will have to be content with a hoop and stick

[fred2007]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

I am not working as a foreigner here, I live here no I don't export even so I reley on the tourist

industrie a little but I also have another business which makes sero, nilch. Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

You should keep in mind that most of the retirees come to Thailand after they worked hard for 40 or more years back home. Should not blame or envy them for this. And most of the retirees I know have a Thai spouse, so they don't have to make Visa runs.

And of course they are upset with the strong Baht because they had not foreseen this, and its effect their lifestyle.

For myself I was planning to buy a Benz now I have to buy a BMW , just joking.

to your comments, I worked since I was 14 years old now I am 61 and I did pay taxes all my life

and I am married since 5 years to my beautiful wife which happens to be Thai and talking about visa runs

they work out to be cheaper for me then paying for a marriage visa which I have to prove an income

and pay taxes. The income I don't have any more so I just pay taxes every month.GREAT!!

[henryalleman]

To all of you farangs who live in Thailand quiet comfortably on your pensions you received from overseas

and still complain about the value of the GP or US dollar which makes your life so hard over here.

Try living on Thai wages as I have to do now. Would you go to the markets and sit there trying to sell

any thing just to make a living ? I guess not!! And pls no comments about ( you invest only as you can afford to loose )

i do understand your problem, but don't you have the option to return back to your home country if live is so difficult in LOS?

unfortunately I have not, I do not have a superanuation anymore and waiting for the pension will take about 4 years lost my house over there so I would not even have a place to stay and living

on a unemployment benefit would not even cover the cost to rent a room over there let alone all the other things.

I do feel sorry for you. that's one of the reasons why didn't plan to move to Thailand before I got my pension. You seems to be victimized twice, first from the financial crisis and secondly that the States don't set up an decent government pension fund, so you have to depend on your own investments.

Keep strong

[mrtoad]

To all of you farangs who live in Thailand quiet comfortably on your pensions you received from overseas

and still complain about the value of the GP or US dollar which makes your life so hard over here.

Try living on Thai wages as I have to do now. Would you go to the markets and sit there trying to sell

any thing just to make a living ? I guess not!! And pls no comments about ( you invest only as you can afford to loose )

There are a lot of us that are working hre as well. Sadly, in life some will always have more money than others. It's a fact of life, call it luck, hard work or misfortune depending on the circumstance.

Whilst I feel sorry that you are in a difficult situation, try and have a little sympathy for those that have also worked most of their life, planned to have retirement and are now finding that the money pot isn't a big as they first thought, they still have a right to complain as well.

[dumball]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

I am not working as a foreigner here, I live here no I don't export even so I reley on the tourist

industrie a little but I also have another business which makes sero, nilch. Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

You should keep in mind that most of the retirees come to Thailand after they worked hard for 40 or more years back home. Should not blame or envy them for this. And most of the retirees I know have a Thai spouse, so they don't have to make Visa runs.

And of course they are upset with the strong Baht because they had not foreseen this, and its effect their lifestyle.

For myself I was planning to buy a Benz now I have to buy a BMW , just joking.

to your comments, I worked since I was 14 years old now I am 61 and I did pay taxes all my life

and I am married since 5 years to my beautiful wife which happens to be Thai and talking about visa runs

they work out to be cheaper for me then paying for a marriage visa which I have to prove an income

and pay taxes. The income I don't have any more so I just pay taxes every month.GREAT!!

Fred , I feel some empathy for your sitation which you helped put yourself and your family in , despite how you feel at this time , you are a foriegner living in a foriegn land BY YOUR OWN VOLITION . Please calm down and stop vilifying people who worked all the years it took to recieve a pension , which is THIER OWN MONEY THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THIER PAYCHECKS . When you reach the appropriate age , you will recieve what is due to you also , then you can also complain , which you will , about how the global situation has cut into your money . You burned all of your bridges behind you , please do hot hold those in contempt who did not .

[henryalleman]

I guess probably the majority of farangs living here are on pensions. The currency change simply means they have to change from Heineken to Chang beer and have the odd Thai meal.

If you are working locally as a foreigner in Thailand it should not be too difficult unless you are exporting (as I am) or work in the tourist industry. Both these sectors are being hit hard.

I am not working as a foreigner here, I live here no I don't export even so I reley on the tourist

industrie a little but I also have another business which makes sero, nilch. Ok blame me for choosing the wrong business but I am just getting cheesed of with every body complaining how much money they

loose because of the devalue of certain currencies. And on top of all this I still have to come up with

all the visa runs and fees which might be easy for some one on a good pension from overseas

You should keep in mind that most of the retirees come to Thailand after they worked hard for 40 or more years back home. Should not blame or envy them for this. And most of the retirees I know have a Thai spouse, so they don't have to make Visa runs.

And of course they are upset with the strong Baht because they had not foreseen this, and its effect their lifestyle.

For myself I was planning to buy a Benz now I have to buy a BMW , just joking.

to your comments, I worked since I was 14 years old now I am 61 and I did pay taxes all my life

and I am married since 5 years to my beautiful wife which happens to be Thai and talking about visa runs

they work out to be cheaper for me then paying for a marriage visa which I have to prove an income

and pay taxes. The income I don't have any more so I just pay taxes every month.GREAT!!

I don't know your nationality, but I also work from 14 years old and now I'm 60, but in my country this give me a decent pension more than twice the salary of an grade 8 civil servant. And I don't have to pay income tax in Thailand, and in my own country only 3,5 % on my pension, and no taxes on interest on savings. But I work always officially and refused black payments from the companies i worked for. I always demanded they paid me officially and I never cheated taxes or government social contributions.

[Gary A]

I too worked all my life and planned my retirement quite conservatively. I allowed for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. As it turned out I still have a healthy surplus and no financial problems. I find it difficult to find a lot of sympathy for those who failed to plan ahead. I am certainly not wealthy because I have made a lot of expensive mistakes. I do expect to live out what's left of my life comfortably.

[Fore Man]

(edited) The only post that makes any sense in this thread is that sent by 'henryalleman' above. There have been several excellent posts (while I was preparing mine); I'd like to add some additional thoughts.

Sure, we retirees made a decision to come live out our lives in Thailand and in many cases our pension funds are not indexed for inflation...which hits us really hard when the baht incredibly hangs onto its value in the face of so many major problems in Thai society versus the more stable conditions and greater strengths of the West. Moreover, please don't overlook the fact that we met and fell in love with Thai women (the majority of us here) and married them. It is only fitting that we moved to the place where our wives could be happiest and live out fulfilling lives close to their families. I don't know about you chaps, but my greater Thai family is comprised of young children/stepchildren, nieces and nephews, and their close friends; it is only normal that our wives would wish to be geographically close to them as they grow up.

The biggest disappointment I have had here is the Thai governments's cavalier attitude about making prolonged stays here such a tedious and constantly changing process...after all, we are spending most of our income if not all of it on our Thai families and all of these funds remain in Thailand for the betterment of the Thai economy and its people. Collectively it would seem that our contribution must add up to a sizeable number. An immense bureaucracy known as Immigration has evolved to deal with foreigners and none of how they operate is aimed at either welcoming an expat or to reduce the stress of keeping up with their confusing policies and occasionally heavy-handed tactics. And most of us would really appreciate a sign from the Thai government that our contributions to improving the lot of our families is appreciated and to instill tangible ways to reduce the stress we undergo at an age when most of us need and want to live out our days peacefully. I will add that despite these regulations that govern our lives here, most Immigration officials I have dealt with make it as pleasant as possible for me and go out of their way to reduce the inherent red tape in the process they operate within.

So while a non-retiree who carves out a living in Thailand may be facing a tough road ahead until the global economy ameliorates, we retirees have few options to expand our incomes and it is quite possible that in the direst of circumstances those genteel pensions that comfort us in the LOS could be reduced or vanish. Some governments overseas--particularly the USA--even penalize aging expats by enacting income tax laws that eliminate longstanding income tax exclusions for earned income. Those exclusions were an important factor in my ultimate decision to retire in Thailand. There is an attitude among many Americans that a person who voluntarily decides to leave the USA to live in another country doesn't deserve equal access to benefits that all other Americans in the same age group and category are entitled to...I hope and pray that the next silver bullet to fall won't be our entitlement to Social Security and military pension payments...mainstays for many expat incomes in Thailand. This wandered a bit off topic, but I believe it merits airing to offer an additional insight as to what motivates retirees to live in Thailand and give up the many benefits of living in their home countries.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Fore Man

[fred2007]

First of all I am not complaining about living in Thailand and making just a little money I ask the question

how would you survive on just a little income. As I mentioned before I worked all my life but I will

not recieve, or very little pension from my country where I paid as a worker or when I had my business

for over 22 years. Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Check up www.news.com.au from yesterday and you will find Australia is the second poorest

country on pension payments and the poorest in unemployment payments in the developed countries in the world. And to get a pension over here is almost impossible or very little. But this is besides the question what I ask. I just ask you guys how would you survive? And I am not driving a Benz I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

[Fore Man]

First of all I am not complaining about living in Thailand and making just a little money I ask the question

how would you survive on just a little income. As I mentioned before I worked all my life but I will

not recieve, or very little pension from my country where I paid as a worker or when I had my business

for over 22 years. Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Check up www.news.com.au from yesterday and you will find Australia is the second poorest

country on pension payments and the poorest in unemployment payments in the developed countries in the world. And to get a pension over here is almost impossible or very little. But this is besides the question what I ask. I just ask you guys how would you survive? And I am not driving a Benz I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

I think 'mrtoad' post #11 is the best answer here. I too have several expat friends who have difficulties making ends meet here. Many of them were victims of economic circumstances beyond their ability to affect back home. Such as the collapse of their retirement accounts in the span of a year of bad markets, or the precipitous drop in the value of their investment portfolios, or the deflation of real estate values in many locales. In some cases, we have expats who decided to come here anyway but did not perform adequate research as to what it would cost to maintain a decent standard of living in Thailand....incorrectly assuming they could live exactly as their local Thai neighbors do. They burned their bridges back home in most cases and now are forced to endure the circumstances....for better or worse. I believe it is callous for some in this forum to denigrate these people; as fellow expats we ought to wish them the best of good fortune and hope that things will swing around for them. After all, every one of these unfortunate expats probably has friends here in better circumstances and nobody wants to see his friends live out their final years in penury.

[sassienie]

First of all I am not complaining about living in Thailand and making just a little money I ask the question

how would you survive on just a little income. As I mentioned before I worked all my life but I will

not recieve, or very little pension from my country where I paid as a worker or when I had my business

for over 22 years. Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Check up www.news.com.au from yesterday and you will find Australia is the second poorest

country on pension payments and the poorest in unemployment payments in the developed countries in the world. And to get a pension over here is almost impossible or very little. But this is besides the question what I ask. I just ask you guys how would you survive? And I am not driving a Benz I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

The question you ask is irrelevant because most ex-pats living long term in Thailand have financially planned well for the rest of their lifetimes here.

I do not consider visa runners as ex-pats or residents. Only as tourists trying to stretch their funds to the limit so as to hang on here as long as possible.

The OP, would be better off going back home, as he has become a charity case. And that’s what happens to those who rush to reside in Thailand and do not have funds enough to sustain them for the years they wish to remain here.

Sad but true.

[henryalleman]

Sure, we retirees made a decision to come live out our lives in Thailand and in many cases our pension funds are not indexed for inflation...which hits us really hard when the baht incredibly hangs onto its value in the face of so many major problems in Thai society versus the more stable conditions and greater strengths of the West. Moreover, please don't overlook the fact that we met and fell in love with Thai women (the majority of us here) and married them. It is only fitting that we moved to the place where our wives could be happiest and live out fulfilling lives close to their families. I don't know about you chaps, but my greater Thai family is comprised of young children/stepchildren, nieces and nephews, and their close friends; it is only normal that our wives would wish to be geographically close to them as they grow up.

That's exactly the reason why many of us like to retire in Thailand. For myself I quit happy and comfortable in in my own country, its impossible to have the same provisions as my governments provides for the elderly. But my wife stayed with me for more than 30 years in my country and we have no children of our own, I think its normal that I give her the happiness to see her grandchildren grow up.

Lucky I one of those who have government who provide an pension indexed for inflation so my standard of living is more or less guaranteed. But if I become a widower my pension will be cut with 25% and i have to prove an 800 000 baht in my account or 65 000 Baht income instead of 400 000 or 40 000 baht monthly. That's worries me sometimes. The only thing I loose is excellent Belgian health care system, even I have to continue contribution because there is no bilateral agreement about this between Belgium and Thailand. And an international health insurance is very expensive up to 100 000 Baht a person depending on the coverage.

And indeed for retirees who don't have an indexed pension can face big problems in the future, because their income diminish and all surveys prove that how older you get how poorer you can be. And there is nothing more terrible than to be old and poor.And certainly in a country who have no welfare or social provisions for the elderly like we have in our own country and especially foreigners are left out completely also in contradiction with my own country.

So all the people who seems to envy pensioners in Thailand should think twice before they do so.

[Repubblicano]

I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

Squanderer ! I just walk and take buses !

[henryalleman]

First of all I am not complaining about living in Thailand and making just a little money I ask the question

how would you survive on just a little income. As I mentioned before I worked all my life but I will

not recieve, or very little pension from my country where I paid as a worker or when I had my business

for over 22 years. Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Check up www.news.com.au from yesterday and you will find Australia is the second poorest

country on pension payments and the poorest in unemployment payments in the developed countries in the world. And to get a pension over here is almost impossible or very little. But this is besides the question what I ask. I just ask you guys how would you survive? And I am not driving a Benz I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

I'm not driving a Benz also its was just a bad attempt to make a joke

[GungaDin]

Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Expert???? Not moi.

Do I know you?

[Scott]

Your situation is rather sad, but I guess what is sadder is that you seem to be rather bitter. You might want to work on your attitude, it might help you to become more productive.

[Fore Man]

What is it about some TV posters that makes them want to be flippant and/or injurious to their fellows? I don't want to start a new topic but I would guess that 30 percent of all TV posts fall into that category. A sad reflection on what kind of people are attracted to this site.

[Gary A]

What is it about some TV posters that makes them want to be flippant and/or injurious to their fellows? I don't want to start a new topic but I would guess that 30 percent of all TV posts fall into that category. A sad reflection on what kind of people are attracted to this site.

So what you are saying is that when someone asks for an opinion, we should be be compassionate and understanding? Well I'm sorry but I don't understand why anyone would want to be living in a foreign country without sufficient income to have a decent life.

[sassienie]

Ok Fred, this is for you and what I would do in your situation.

I believe what you are asking is not what would we do if having to live on a Thai income, but rather what should you do, having to live on a Thai income.

I know that the Australian state pension system have a lot of terms, conditions and restrictions. I think an Australian has to be resident in Australia for 2 years before being eligible for the pension or claiming it abroad.

Firstly ask your wife to take a job. Preferably as a live in housekeeper, as this will give her accommodation, wages, food etc.

You return to Australia. Ask relatives or friends if they can accommodate you for a while until you get yourself accommodation.

Sign on social security or find a job. Work at improving your situation, than in 4 years return back to Thailand when you begin receiving your pension.

You may lose face and prestige for a while, but that will only be temporary.

I realise that this is easier said than done, but it seems you have no choice

That’s what I would do.

For those who are considering living in Thailand for the long term, take note and plan properly.

[samuibeachcomber]

First of all I am not complaining about living in Thailand and making just a little money I ask the question

how would you survive on just a little income. As I mentioned before I worked all my life but I will

not recieve, or very little pension from my country where I paid as a worker or when I had my business

for over 22 years. Just ask the expert Gunga Din. And as you all know I talk about Australia.

Check up www.news.com.au from yesterday and you will find Australia is the second poorest

country on pension payments and the poorest in unemployment payments in the developed countries in the world. And to get a pension over here is almost impossible or very little. But this is besides the question what I ask. I just ask you guys how would you survive? And I am not driving a Benz I am driving an old Toyota which is 20 years old.

i lived in australia and found it to be quite a mean spirited country and that includes its social services

[sassienie]

Yes, I`ve had a miserable life.

When I was 6 my father sent me out to buy a newspaper from the local store. When I returned back home, discovered that my parents had moved.

So I ran away to the circus and had a job cleaning out the lion cages. When I was 9 one of the lions grabbed me and tore off my arms. I spent the next 12 years working as a performer in the freak show.

At 21 I met a girl. She had a wooden eye and I no arms. One day while sitting in the pictures she asked, would you like to go to bed with me? I replied, oh yea, wouldn’t I. She said, who are you calling wooden eye you armless bastard.

So that was the end of my romantic era and at age 50 ended up in Thailand as a sad old ThaiVisa member.

Now that’s suffering.

Edited January 9, 2009 by sbk

[jtp]

What is it about some TV posters that makes them want to be flippant and/or injurious to their fellows? I don't want to start a new topic but I would guess that 30 percent of all TV posts fall into that category. A sad reflection on what kind of people are attracted to this site.

Don't let them get you down,certain people think Thaivisa is their own to do and say as they please,could you imagine this site WITHOUT moderators??I think too many people enjoy causing angst and hurt here on Tv,maybe a course in humanity would help them?Or maybe they are just so bitter that there is no hope for them?

[jtp]

Yes, I`ve have had a miserable life.

When I was 6 my father sent me out to buy a newspaper from the local store. When I returned back home, discovered that my parents had moved.

So I ran away to the circus and had a job cleaning out the lion cages. When I was 9 one of the lions grabbed me and tore off my arms. I spent the next 12 years working as a performer in the freak show.

At 21 I met a girl. She had a wooden eye and I no arms. One day while sitting in the pictures she asked, would you like to go to bed with me? I replied, oh yea, wouldn't I. She said, who are you calling wooden eye you armless bastard.

So that was the end of my romantic era and at age 50 ended up in Thailand as a sad old ThaiVisa member.

Now that's suffering.

At least you have retained your sense of humour...