Mr. Red,

You will do just fine. You will be perfect for Thailand.

I'm with you, I enjoy my job, I enjoy where we (Thai wife) live.

Talking this attitude of enjoyment ( work, home) will attracted

the same where ever we go.

People who hate their country and life find the same "hate" where

ever they are. You take you with you.

You going to love and enjoy your next adventurer.

I'm 52 this May, plan on moving to Thailand in 3 years.

Not sure where we will live yet but plan to move around from north

to south for 3 years then buy a place.

My wife is from Chaing Rai, we have a daughter in collage in Chaing Mai

I like Phuket and Samui.

I look forward to the next step and your next step

will be perfect.

I'm a physician. I have seen many people on their death beds.

No one ever regreted that they should have worked more...

...my skills in organizing and managing a project to complete on time and within budget are pretty good, and in my later years as a manager, that is what I do rather than deal with the individual technical challenges anymore.  I still stick my nose in because I miss it ...

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Are you me?

Post 101 -- wow, crossed a hurdle here!

Steve2K and Boon Mee make some very good points -- I'm sure it's all about keeping busy. The problem is as RDN laid out -- busy work is not the same as challenging interesting work.  In my case, once I leave the software group, that's it.  Unlike commercial software work, I can't fall back on doing freelance stuff.

Steve brought up another point that got me thinking -- my skills in organizing and managing a project to complete on time and within budget are pretty good, and in my later years as a manager, that is what I do rather than deal with the individual technical challenges anymore.  I still stick my nose in because I miss it and I try to convince myself I have more experience, so I must be smarter then the youngsters on my staff, but I am proven wrong on that count more often than I care to admit. I have built up a substantial skill set for project management, and, with my temperment, I could see me trying to take over in a volunteer situation where I don't understand the "Thai Way" that things are being done -- Danger, Will Robinson!

So switching into low gear and holding my tongue when I "know the better way" will have to be talents I learn quickly, I predict. I can foresee searching for that elusive technical or managerial challenge, as RDN said, and being left unfulfilled.

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Dangerous area this, but I think it's reasonably fair to say that efficient project organisation and management (by general western standards) don't figure very high on many people's list of typical Thai skills. On that basis, IMHO anybody bringing first-hand experience of such matters is almost bound to be offering something valuable - if they are also ready to appreciate and apply the principle that one can't just "implant" that kind of skill set into such a very different culture. It's very clear from your last comments that you are very aware of the rider - as well as of the very real need to avoid loss of face. Feels to me like you'll do great!

Thanks to all for your insightful comments. Gave me a lot to think about and encouragement that I will fit in when I do move to Thailand.

Thanks again to all the posters