If You Had To - Could You?

[Monokuro]

I'd probably go back to Taiwan, though I'd be pissed, as I only just finished moving all my stuff across...

[kjhbigv]

I own 3 houses in the USA.

Pah is that all, I own 4 houses in the UK.......but all mine have 4 absolutely huge mortgages and two are probably in negative equity! So there! Good old UK property boom!?

[cognos]

I already am in the West..I've got 2,3 more years before early retirement and then its 6 months LOS, 6 months Canada.. that's the plan anyway

signed: a lot can change

[hawthorne]

Maybe this is only an opportunity. When the expats vacate maybe some nice western style homes will become available and good prices. The wife and I are both expats with no time line to move to our final destination hopefully Thailand. So to the original question we do not need to live Thailand. I also hope no one else will have to leave. Things will be ok. It is way to early.

[eggomaniac]

.... now give me Thai citizenship and maybe I would take my responsibility to my Thai wife and our children more seriously.

You need citizenship to take your responsibilities to your wife and kids more seriously?... (I'm not sure that was intended quite as it reads ???)

Yes it reads as it should it comes from the same guy who thinks driving drunk is ok. (just read his previous posts).

----------------

yikes! 'maybe' he says...

[Soutpeel]

There will be ups and downs but nothing major. As someone said, the powers that be won't be stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds them.

You wouldnt want to bet on that would you ??....Thai politians/goverment departments have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot why would this be any different..??.....

Also think you are over estimating the importance of resident farangs in Thailands to the powers that be, we are tolerated thats all, we dont even appear on their radar in the scheme of things.

You are surely not suggesting the OAP's who support half of Isaan are hands that feed any goverment official/dept ?...

Thai officals wouldnt force farangs out en mass...they dont need to, just change the current visa rules slightly....ie currently require THB 800k in a bank account for retirement, so lets change that to THB 1.5 mil....what happens ??....Lets make a few more occupations Thai only....What happens..

Please dont tell me, if farangs are forced out, investment will collaspe....rubbish....business' invest here for one reason only....profit...they dont give a sh*t about farangs who live here...

[Heng]

Maybe this is only an opportunity. When the expats vacate maybe some nice western style homes will become available and good prices.

Already been happening for awhile. The buyers are often Russian families.

[Ulysses G.]

Thai politians/goverment departments have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot

That is a fact, Jack. Every time Thailand has some kind of crisis, the expats start saying that visa rules and such will get easier, but usually things get even more difficult. Do not expect logic in LOS!

[BlackArtemis]

I moved back in Oct 2008. But I moved back to get a second degree and my wife wants her Masters to be from the US. I am also the only child.

However, I am rounding down this degree and the wife will start soon and eventually we will be back in Thailand. We simple returned the the US to be able to earn more while living in the country we love :shrug:

[PhilHarries]

Well I have changed course. For about fifteen years up until circa 2007 I had planned to end my days in retirement in Thailand. Nothing in Thailand changed my mind it's just that I discovered Viet Nam. Somebody has slagged off VN and Cambodia as basket cases where the beaurocracy, corruption and infrastructure is worse than Thailand. Well I now live and work here in HCMC and yes it isn't the same as Thailand but that's what makes me love the place. Thailand is nothing more than farangland with sunshine. 7-11's, Maccy Dees, Pizza Hut, KFC, Starbucks on every corner, Tesco-Lotus in every town and a host of other global brands make it less and less like Asia. Some people like that kind of place, a foreign destination without the discomforts of actually having to live without their precious home comforts but that's not for me.

So I'm here setting up base camp in a place that doesn't carry the same perceptional baggage as Thailand when you tell people where you live.

But if it went pear shaped here and, lets be honest, no country is a safe bet these days, well none that I'd particularly want to live in, would I move on?

Yes undoubtedly so, there's always Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia just for starters.

Would I consider going back to the UK? Good question, I have no home there but have sufficient funds to buy a small house and set up home. So the answer is another yes although not a first or even tenth preference. Hel_l if push really came to shove there's always a return to Thailand.

Oh, a plea to those considering a move to VN. Please do NOT tell the lager louts about the place, it is nice and peaceful and we don't want it spoilt, although the Vietnamese police might relish the thought of rounding up a few malcontents.

[franzzz]

is simon the one who ran out of money?

Indeed I did, for various reasons too complex to explain

But that was about 18 months ago. Now I'm happy to say that I am gainfully employed again in the software business, have a work permit and 200k baht/month in my bank account. Not a fortune, but about 200k/month more than I had 18 months ago!

So it's not really money that is making me consider my options about Thailand. It's more to do with concerns about affordable health care as I grew older, business opportunities for my partner and me, and my continuing unease about where Thailand is going, especially when that important event occurs to Him.

There are opportunities for me in the space/satellite/telecoms sector back in Europe, and it could make very good sense for me to do a few years of this work, put some money in the bank, and then return to Thailand in a few years - if it is still on the map

Simon

now keep your money!

we dont want to hear another sob story from you .

[WOOHOO]

You wouldnt want to bet on that would you ??....

Yes I would. I would happily make a bet that nothing much will change in the next 10/20 years. Nothing unusual and particularly bad anyway, things are always changing of course.

Also think you are over estimating the importance of resident farangs in Thailands to the powers that be,

You are surely not suggesting the OAP's who support half of Isaan are hands that feed any goverment official/dept ?...

Why are you separating resident Farang and Issan dwelling Farangs from all Farangs? If things went tits up and Farangs had to leave, it would be all the tourists as well. I have no economics degree, but I'm fairly sure that would affect Thailands income some what!

[stander]

We have a house in Penang, and up until a few weeks ago my wife would never even have dreamed of moving, but now she does see it as an option if it does turn really nasty then we could move

[a2396]

I've only ever been an expat in Thailand

but hear that, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are very nice.

Was I daft enough to invest any of my hard earned in Thailand? Not on your life!

(I don't believe in spending capital, what I had I keep)

My favorite place is in a place in the USA I am not going to tell you about. It is a sleepy fishing town........almost no crime.......easy lifestyle (lots of peace of mind there).

I would go back if I could find a way to live there.

The USA, with all of its faults, has some of the most fantastic views on the planet.........and wonderful food.

The big city life there is a real turn off for me........as it is in Thailand.

Closer to Thailand..........I would consider Vietnam and Cambodia.

Both have done far better than Thailand in terms of economic growth rate........both seem more expat friendly (especially Cambodia).

After they reach a certain state of development, I think they will be viable alternatives to Thailand.

Fantastic views of nature, yes. Wonderful food?? You've got to be joking. Maybe NYC, SF or New Orleans, if you can afford 5 star restaurants. The rest - microwaved stuff from Wall-Marts freezer. Oh yes, don't forget the wonderful ladies awaiting you back home.

[a2396]

You are all welcome to Nigeria, we give all the best jobs to the Westerners. But you will have to import your tilac, grog, food, and car mechanic.

I'm in Nigeria at this very moment, its not as bad as people think. However there are cities to avoid like Port Harcourt (where i happen to be). The people are very friendly (except the kid nappers and militants) the climate is the same but the infrastructure is terrible. Oh and the strain of malaria is deadly, other than that its not so bad. You can even do your daily shopping while driving home, there are sellers bringing things right to your window. Just don't piss of the MOPO (police) they carry AK 47's and may shoot you if you don't pay the bribe.

Sounds like a great place to be. I hope they are paying you well. How about Juarez, Mexico?