If U Knew What U Do Now.....

[Belfastboy]

This goes to all the real expats living in Thailand for one year+ ....

if you knew what u do now about living and preparing for living in thailand....

what advice would u have for a farang moving with his thai wife and (hopefully kids by then) in 2 years time .....?

what would u do in preparation....? anything different?

[bino]

if you knew what u do now about living and preparing for living in thailand....

I would have moved here sooner!

what advice would u have for a farang moving with his thai wife and (hopefully kids by then) in 2 years time .....?

Can't really offer you any practical advice, as I was (am) single and didn't have a family or children to consider in my equation. I'm sure lots of other posters can provide more insight. You could also get a lot of information on schools etc. by searching the forum for previous topics.

[thymode91]

You got lot of things to consider for moving here in Thailand. if the farang got a Thai wife then, I don't think there will be any problem. i found a great deal to live here. but, his wife Thai would ofcourse got pretty much consideration for living here than I had. . there were lot of previous post regarding with this matter, it may useful for them.

[chownah]

This goes to all the real expats living in Thailand for one year+ ....

if you knew what u do now about living and preparing for living in thailand....

what advice would u have for a farang moving with his thai wife and (hopefully kids by then) in 2 years time .....?

what would u do in preparation....? anything different?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It really depends on what you will be doing here. Whatever you will be doing here just keep your life moving forward in that direction and think of what you need to do every day to further the goals you will be pursueing here. On a mental level try to develop the ability to remain calm and communicative even if things seem to be getting strange and unsettling....a helpful trait wherever you are...and a good one for raising a family too!!

[joe beets]

Start weaning yourself from cheese.

jb

[Belfastboy]

cheese a pickle is a weak spot of mind u.....

in fact just after a cheese and ham toastie with branston pickle.....yum...

[Wanderer]

This goes to all the real expats living in Thailand for one year+ ....

if you knew what u do now about living and preparing for living in thailand....

what advice would u have for a farang moving with his thai wife and (hopefully kids by then) in 2 years time .....?

what would u do in preparation....? anything different?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1 .Real international schooling is very expensive (pattaya) i know a couple of guys who moved back to EU so their kids could a decent eduacation.

2. learn to speak thai if you are staying full-time

3.Don't drink too much (especially if driving a motorbike/scooter)

its not as cheap as people think when you live like westerner ie a trip to your local tescos at home would be the same here if you buy imported stuff (a can of heinze beans could cost you 2 euros ) anyway enjoy

[Belfastboy]

yeah theres a few things i plan to do when in bkk....

1. learn to speak thai fluently...go to a language school ...and hopefully meet some friends there. Also to keep my mind active

2. take up more sport ...swimming badminton footie...

3.return to my first love of painting

4.take it bloody easy and chill

5.probably live in bkk during the week and go to a holiday home somewhere for the weekend. ie ..hua hin..samui....havent decided yet...any advice welcome

6. live here for 4 years when the kids are still small...then back to the uk for their education....after that prob 2 months summer hols back to thailand...

7. stop thinking and planning....!!

[Tufty]

If I knew then what I know now I would be a rich man

[The_Other_Mac]

1. learn to speak thai fluently...go to a language school ...and hopefully meet some friends there. Also to keep my mind active

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With 2 years advance notice, I reckon you should start now (from books/CDs if nothing else). A bit of a headstart would help enormously. The trouble with learning Thai here is that it's faster and easier to learn how to get by without speaking Thai... but you do miss out on a lot.

Also, learning correct pronunciation and non-slang is a big help in not sounding a bit silly... You'll pick up the slang easily enough later.

[The_Moog]

I like BBs list - (I have a list of similar Resolutions).

Motivation is a huge problem (for me) in Bangkok.

I'm quite fed up here - 2 years in, its as hot as &lt;deleted&gt;, there's no possibility of getting decent salaried work. (I tried English Teaching - its a miserable life - none of the students can communicate with you)

Yes one can set up a business if entrepreneurial, but fixed assets are not cheap - (although living costs are).

Married, I don't do the nightlife thing anymore - and I used to really love that. I seldom drink - because that feels intuitively like the road to oblivion here - yet I did enjoy a pint.

There's no beauty in Bangkok at all. Its a big dirty 3rd World city. Yes there's the temples, how many times do you need to see them? - about once.

Educating baby - unless willing to pay $15,000 a year for International School is a no-no.

I've become virtually agrophobic !

Edited May 22, 2005 by The_Moog

[Belfastboy]

u make it sound so good moog.....

i reckon 6 months here six months in uk in the summer is the way to go....

and weekends out of bkk whenever poss.....

[ArtfulD]

Why live in Bangkok then? From what I see of Bangkok there is nothing at all going for it apart from work if your working as an expat and getting all the benefits that go with it.

[TizMe]

what would u do in preparation....? anything different?

I would have ditched the exMrsTiz a few years earlier.

[Erwin1011]

If I knew then what I know now, I would be somewhere else !