How Many Thailand Based Expats Plan On Returning Home

[Ricardo]

I will be here when the grim reaper comes looking.

I myself plan to be out, probably at the pub round the corner, when he attempts to call !

[Brigante7]

do you think the planes are full because the airlines cut back the number of flights?as i posted before,someone had remarked that phuket was very busy now.

I read yesterday that 10% of all the planes in service around the world are in storage, around 2000 planes if I remember correctly, could be why flights are full.

[Mossfinn]

still debating.....

maybe the mods could add in a poll?

We will ask the mods if youstop danching or whatever you doing.

Press Escape, that does the trick.

Flame Away

Daddy just needs to get home with the wifey and 2 beautiful babies.

No flames G', Good Luck to you and your family

Moss

[najman]

najman- you're the one ranting surely?

Ok it's good to be positive, but then there is reality to consider!

I guess it's really how much dosh you have, and if you don't have steady funds whether you're ultimately prepared to live the 'Thai way'.

Australia has a good welfare system, thus even in harsh economic times it's easier to retain youthful idylls. Now that's all to the well and good my friend if you are young, and I hope that is the case with you. If you get ill out here it costs big time, then if you are married and have kids, costs escalate like nothing else. So life becomes a struggle, take away the LOS feel good factor due to the strife and economic problems, then there's the pollution which can make you ill. Get the pic chum!! You see this thread is about long term stayers, life is quite different.

No doubt in my mind Thailand has become a more difficult place to stay in, I mean just look at the visa rules now.

But I agree it surely still retains top place for value for money if you even just have a few thousand dollars.

As to your points about positive attitude, again that only cuts so far, of course confidence is important, but again you write from a very young perspective surely devoid of reality save for a few blissful teenage years.

Hi Mommysboy,

What I don't understand is why it would be easier in another country on a fixed amount of income obtained from a pension or something? I'm a long way from retiring (I'm 29) and hope to save over the next 30 years so i dont need a pension. However even if someone were to have a pension wouldn't it go 4 times further in thailand?

Unless you were leaving thailand for work in another country to save up some more i would understand.

I understand the costs escalating but don't understand why it would be easier in another country.

In regards to VISA rules toughening I still see many ways to stay long term in thailand. The Education VISA for example where you only have to study 4 hours a week and pay 30,000 for the whole year and can be renewed every year for 1-10 years is a nice option. Since we living in thailand should learn the language and culture anyway and is what we would expect of a foreigner living in a western country.

Then there's the marriage visa that can be renewed every year once you are married which is what I intend to do in the next 1-2 years.

So I guess a problem some may have is not meeting certain retirement visa requirments of having so much money in the bank or not reaching the minimum level of 40,000 per month between yourself and your wife as part of a marriage visa?

Or is it that a thai based business is not doing well?

Surely there are still many businesses to get involved in? Coffee shop near western travel destinations, Translation service for foreigners with thai girlfriends, selling thai products online, teaching english after doing an english teaching course in Bkk. Getting the wife to set up a market stall at the local market. I guess there are many ways to make extra cash if you look for them.

I'm sure things are getting a little tougher. If people can be more exact in what they are running into then some solutions may able to be provided. Perhaps look into some of my ideas above.

Anyone on this forum knows enough about the internet to learn to sell things online in their own way. There's over 10 different ways to make money online. Holly Mann wrote a book about internet marketing. She was a single mother living in thailand on a disability pension. Her income got to $10,000 a month while in thailand working online in 4 months flat. She only used a couple of the ways to make money online. Perhaps some of you would be interested in learning how to do this.

If so have a look at her e-book "Honest Riches". And decide your own way on how you want to make money online If you know how to turn on a computer then it wont be hard to understand her book and learn some ways to make some extra cash during these harder times. Turn these harder times into the easiest times of your life

Here is the link to Honest Riches by Holly Mann: http://hipurl.com/n5

Hope that helps some of you. I'm happy to help anyone who has any questions about this if you are serious about making money online I have helped a number of friends start an online business. Some of them are making a few hundred extra dollars a week.

[Naam]

I will be here when the grim reaper comes looking.

you and me could form a club. unfortunately no club would accept me as member

[toybits]

Cebu is actually a great place to be. Not too far from the pristine beaches, Casino, good air connections, great people. Yes! Cebu could be a place for me.

Next month will be GONE. I am so over LOS... After a while back in the states will most likely retire to Cebu.

I can not believe that you prefer the Philipines to Thailand. Bring a BIG GUN!

[Jungian]

Everyone in the US I know has told no matter what I am better off here and I tend to agree not that I had any intention of returning the the US.

[qualtrough]

Everyone in the US I know has told no matter what I am better off here and I tend to agree not that I had any intention of returning the the US.

Ditto for me as far as friends and family in the USA. The rat race aspects have excelerated dramatically since I last lived there in 95. It was bad then, and every trip back it gets worse.

[livinthailandos]

agreed on the last point. No way I'm going back to the US anytime soon. Im younger than most of you probably on here. But at least here I have a job still, my work visa is good till november this year, work permit is fine to. As long as customers plan on still coming for some kind of holiday. My job will fine. Also have saved some money to get me through for a few months if need be. Sides the only jobs I see still hiring in the US are mostly nurses. I'm glad Im not in the US, I'd rather spend my time here dealing with our nationalities then my own country men

[Rimmer]

I will be here when the grim reaper comes looking.

you and me could form a club. unfortunately no club would accept me as member

I would never want to belong to a club that would have me as a member!

In any event thought I would give it a go for ten years or so and if it does not work out I can think again.

[Spaniel]

I'm staying. Why go back to the USA? If I couldn't afford to live in Bangkok then I certainly couldn't afford the US.

[bkkdawg]

I am definitely staying! Who wants to go back to the grey, windy, rainy U.K after been here for 5 years? Only good things have happened for me in LOS so far, obviously had my ups and downs, same as everyone else, but just the thought of been in the U.K indefinitely is a very depressing thought.

Think the Grim Reeper will be collecting me here too!

[samuibeachcomber]

Am sure everybody wants to stay,but sometimes through circumstances,there are n't too many choices.

[lovelaos]

I'm in Laos and don't plan on going anywhere soon. No recession here. I keep in touch with mates back in The U.K and it is pretty grim

[MeetJohnDoe]

Next month will be GONE. I am so over LOS... After a while back in the states will most likely retire to Cebu. Nice to live somewhere a foriegner is appreciated not just for his cash. No B.S. with visas owning property etc. etc. I have had enough Thailand for 100 lifetimes...

The Philippines is definitely an option for expatriates who for one reason or another no longer desire to reside in Thailand. However, it is always good to keep in mind the old maxim that "the grass is always greener..."

I think you will find just as much "B.S." regarding property, and many other things, in the Philippines as you do in Thailand. The one thing that may be easier is their "retirement visa" scheme as they actually have a government department and official scheme for foreigners who wish to reside long-term in the country. Thailand's system is not really a retirement program at all...just ad-hoc extensions of non-immigrant visas for periods of 1-year for the purpose of residing in the country.

While the Philippines can be nice, you definitely give up allot compared to Thailand. Infrastructure of all types (transportation, communications, sanitation, health-care, etc.) are all inferior, food quality and preparation is often sub-standard, personal safety and medical care are not up to Thai standards. There is just a partial list.

Where you gain is in the "cultural familiarity" factor, i.e., English language comprehension and east of communication with most Filipinos. There is also the affinity most all Filipinos have for Westerners and their familiarty and interest in the outside world (most have worked or have relatives overseas) that you don't find with most Thais.

However, there is a reason that most of the movement of expats is out of the Philippines and into Thailand rather than visa-versa

Edited February 27, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[vicco]

Well lets see.....Thailand is in a bit of a mess. The UK is in a big mess....most of Europe is in a big mess .. the US is a bloody disaster......

I think under the circumstances I will stick with the warm climate, low living costs, great food and mostly friendly people and resist the temptation

to go back to freezing my ass off, outrageous living costs and millions of pissed off people.

I did something really stupid a year ago....against the advise of my "financial advisor"...I dumped my stocks and mutual funds and held everything in cash deposits at 4.65%. How silly of me!. My financial advisor is now 50% worse off than he was a year ago and I'm 4.65% ahead!. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. Currency values are a concern for everyone these days. You never know from one day to the next what your money is going to be worth. The US dollar is flying right now but it could crash very quickly. Look whats happened to the UK pound and the Aussie dollar. It's a bit rough on anyone with all their income coming from those currencies.

I'm staying here for all the reason stated above!

[ataloss]

Next month will be GONE. I am so over LOS... After a while back in the states will most likely retire to Cebu. Nice to live somewhere a foriegner is appreciated not just for his cash. No B.S. with visas owning property etc. etc.

Not to mention that if a person was sane with his/her money they are not in financial difficulty e.g. my house never re-financed, no credit card debt, money saved, health insurance, own car outright, then like me they can be comfortable in the US.

I have had enough Thailand for 100 lifetimes...

Flame Away

Daddy just needs to get home with the wifey and 2 beautiful babies.

Hey Gunnyd...I hear ya!

Within 6 months I'll be heading home, too. Been sane with my bucks, as well. Never buy anything until you've worked out how many hours you've had to work to pay for it - you'll be surprised how many things you will fore go - saves on all the expensive dust-collectors laying about the pad..

Good luck back in the goode olde USA! WOW! Luv It!

[kennkate]

I will go back to the UK with My Wife and Daughter. For Me and my extended family it is the best option

My Income is UK generated.

With the exchange Rates not what they were I find it is not cheap here anymore.

Plus I am not getting younger Free Helth Care in the UK for all of us. Yes I know you are paying for it with the Visa Fee.

I have to pay visa fees Here and get Stuff all, Other than permision to stay

Sure I will miss things about Thailand The Peace and Quiet. The Heat in April. Thai TV. Newspapers. Snakes in the house. No I think not

But there are things.

To All who Stay Best Wishes and Good Luck.

[RubbaJohnny]

A no brainer

Unless those off the plan condos on Iraqi riviera sell out and then I'll opt for a Persian cono

Oz NZ Spain all nice but the extras and affordibility climate convinced me

I thought the lack of intellectual stimulation,planning and orderliness would be a challenge then I realised this is why Immigration rule changes were developed to prevent Alzheimers and keep us all on our toes

[torrenova]

I think there are various stages which come into play here.

If you have retired, no kids or dependants, then why go back ? things cannot be much better there.

If you have young kids, then the question of education must have reared itself previously and could influence a decision now.

Finances for some in all manner of ways could be an issue.

Some may be stuck here, with all assets in property or businesses.

For me ? I'll reinvest as and when but I am concious that there are greater things to worry about than this recession which will have far greater an impact on Thailand.

[jubby]

Best to sit tight and see how this thing pans out. I suspect its going to get worse before it gets better.

I'm prepared to forego a lot of luxurys and dig my heels in before contemplating a permanent return to Blighty.

It is nice to have the option of a Bolthole though.

But Lifes about the journey not the destination as some say.

[Oberkommando]

do you think the planes are full because the airlines cut back the number of flights?as i posted before,someone had remarked that phuket was very busy now.

Not for those routes and certainly not for direct BKK - LHR flights. I can't say if any of the routes running via the middle east or Europe have been cut though.

Interestingly enough while I was in Thailand I booked a couple of flights to Viet Nam for end first week March. BKK to SGN was not a problem but the internal SGN to DAD (Da Nang) was fully booked and I had to reserve a seat in business. Waste of a business class ticket, flight is only an hour and a half barely enough time for a decent G&T.

Nearly all airlines have cut flights back in the last 6 months on BKK-LHR.

[Oberkommando]

The point is moot I reckon as when the inevitable happens most of us will have to go elsewhere.

[Digitalman]

Having financial obligations back in the States, I just can't expect to make a living here anymore. Since I earn baht I need the currency to stay strong against the USD, I just can't afford it if it weakens.. Besides the recent news about Thai Air, I don't think Thailand has really come to grips with this economic slow down.

All in all, I just feel like I've been here too long and its time to go.