Life Change - Realistic? Enough Cash? Your Thoughts

[nonpop]

Re Visa ... ok it seems there are many good options which is great news. Looks like the best is to get a 1 yr (e.g non imm O or tourist) then during that time work things out e.g langage school, different location, housing etc.

Learning the language seems critical. When in a foreign country for anymore than a holiday, this is a must. Communication is important and helps us understand the country and culture and reduces ignorance I feel. Shows respect.

Re inflation - hopfully our income rises with inflation to keep up. Otherwise if Thaliand becomes too expensive, then we can look at other options. But I don't see that happening too soon. But the important part is to be not on the lowest level when we start our journey.

Re the 10 yrs ... well we were just thinking that we'd be living out of our native country for 10 yrs (may be multiple countries?) then we'd look at our options e.g return to Australia or just keep moving around. That is the beauty of life - having options.

If anyone would like to share their experiences of moving to Thailand, feel free to do so.

Thank you all for your thoughts. Please feel free to keep them coming (please keep them constructive).

V

[nonpop]

I tried a few place along the beach in Thailand. Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Pattaya (1 day), Koh Tao, Koh Chang but the only ones that were peaceful were the ones south of huahin (Ban Krut, Chumphon) all the way to Surat. They lack however 'western' infrastructure. The best was my house at the beach in The Netherlands, although now very expensive.

Don't underestimate the amount of noise Thais can produce. It is no bother when you are holidaying, you probably add to the noise, but if you live there this can be a nuisance.

I grew up close to the sea too, still looking for that spot in Thailand were i would want to settle. I am now leaning to living in an area about 2-3 km from the beach. Peace and quiet, mountain views like in Krabi or Phang-nga (still largely without tourists) and a short drive to the beach.

Tourist kills many nice places as the local people smell money and don't have any regard for nature unfortunately.

Instead of nurturing it and make money for generations it often is full with concrete and the same bars, hotels, restaurant strips as in the other places for instant money now. I bet many that live in those areas failed their marshmellow test.

First stay mobile because what you think is a nice place now can change quickly. If you shoot roots to fast you might regret it later. If you have a 10 year plan, make the first one a 'discovery' year. Stay somewhere in a season you not experienced yet. Rain season, hot season, hottest season. Or depending on your place tourist high season or low season. Places can look very different in other times.

My point is, don't expect it to be like it was on your holidays.

On thing about the money. It is enough, but in a 10 year span a lot can happen to exchange rates (ask the English). Prepare for that.

Great post! Some good words of wisdom.

Yes our 1st yr would be experimental. Find a place and then 'learn' - the language, the culture the systems, the geography. I think we can only learn so much from a distance. But being on the ground makes all the difference.

I have added some of your comments to my growing list of information. Thanks!

[nonpop]

What is it with people and living by the ocean ? I just don't get it.

Are you shitting me!? My remote plan is to buy a house on the Irish west coast, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Sit there and read books as the ocean roars in...eat oysters, drink Guinness and Irish whiskey until my time is up. It's all about the ocean laddie!

I love it. I can just imagine the wild windy ocean and a glass of champagne (sorry not big on beer or scotch) & oysters - and chocolate. A girl has got to have her chocolate!!

Edited July 7, 2010 by nonpop

[Globalhot]

You said "tropical paradise." Thailand is not a tropical paradise.

It has many problems. There are good and bad things here, just like the rest of the world.

Financially, you seem to be in good shape........you actually don't need to spend that much to have a quality lifestyle.

Ocean view.........that does up the price. Avoid real estate vultures.........they are all over Phuket, Hua Hin, and Pattaya.

Just buy a couple of motorcycles to get around on........easy and fun for some people (but it is incredibly hot in Thailand).

Good luck. If you are looking for a quiet beach life, that can be found, but you lose some nice Western perks.

Phuket, to me, is ruined already. But for people who have not lived here a long time, it may seem like paradise.

Thanks for your thoughts. Some good points.

Re tropical paradise ... well I guess I mean a place to live that is by the sea, warm to hot climate (we love the heat) and peaceful. We appreciate every country has it's problems. But Thailand's don't seem to be show-stoppers. And provided the country isn't hostile, then it should be ok I hope. Everytime we've been has been a good experience (last time was March 2010 just before riots)

Puket - yep we've off from there already. That place is now off our list.

Re finances - we don't need to spend that much. I guess I was doing a 'sanity' check to get peopls thoughts to see if I was off track or not.

Motorcycles ... nope. We can't ride for sh*t. It has been suggested to hire a car for a few months. This may be an option until we find our feet then decide what to do.

And lastly, when you said "Avoid real estate vultures" ... what do you mean ??

Real estate vultures = hoards of foreigners who moved to Thailand to "screw the unwary."

You have been here before, that is good.

The real estate market is crashing (the vultures will tell you the opposite).

The ball is in your court now, not in their court, so negotiate a price way down.

Negotiation includes rental agreements, deposits, etc.

You can get what you want if you take a stand and not let them push you around.

Personally, I think I would try to rent from a Thai.

In fact, I would not rent from a farang at all (and yes, I am a farang).

[rick75]

Re what guesthouse posted, there are some very good retirement calculators around that may provide a little more insight into your financial situation in the long term, don't discount the trouble you may find yourself in if the Aud-Thb rate falls in unexpected ways, as has happened to the British of late you could easily see 25% of your income slide over night, combine that with inflation and you may be find yourself under pressure. Sorry to the bearer of bad news, on location I would vote +1 for Hua Hin or that neck of the woods.

Best of luck.

[Jimi007]

A lot of Phuket bashing on this thread. Phuket is not Patong. Although, Patong is on Phuket. The island takes at least an hour and a half to drive from one end to the other. If you want to go in the water it is much nicer than Hua Hin or Cha Am, in my opinion. Plus there is surf. But there are transportation issues here. But you could rent a car by the month as I did when I first moved here. You could get a double entry tourist visa, each entry is good for 60 days and extend it for 30 before you would have to re enter. So, 6 months, then get another one while you are deciding where to settle. See more information in the visa forum.

I have lived at the beach all my life, still have two houses by the beach in California and I have a nice quiet place in Rawai Beach here. My rent is only 11,000 Bht a month for a two bedroom house. Nai harn Beach is close by as well as another couple of beaches that you have to know the area to find. I'm not on the ocean, I'm not so sure I'd want to be since I moved here a few months after the tsunami. But I can go body surfing, snorkeling, sit on the beach and have a drink and watch the sunset. I'm not big on the high tourist season. But it's nice and quiet around here this time of the year.

Best wishes, good luck and have fun! Jimi

[yabaaaa]

Dont forget North n South have very different weather too

[Lannatyne]

Yes, far too much Phuket bashing.

For unspoilt and peaceful, read boring and no western facilities. That's okay for a couple of weeks holiday, but not to settle down. Someone mentioned Ban Krut - you're having a laugh!

Check out a map of this place. Pattaya and Hua Hin are in a relatively enclosed piece of sea, the Gulf of Thailand. Phuket's west coast is washed by 4000 miles of Indian Ocean. What do you think will be the cleaner and more spectacular?

A 2-bed seaview condo overlooking the sea in Rawai, Phuket can be obtained for 28K per month + utility bills. Long term car hire is available from many renters at cheaper prices than you'd get for normal short tourist periods.

Happy to help on more specifics on Phuket if you want to PM.

[Marvo]

Hua Hin "Area" I would say but not necessarily in Hua Hin, this way you have access to Bangkok and also access to the empty beaches near Chumphon and others heading down that way which I love (see photo).

You will need an International driving licence to drive for a year which you get in your own country, later you can do the Thai test it isnt hard.

You can "swap" your 1 yr international licence for a Thai licence WITHOUT doing a test :-)

Very doable for one year, even two, but spinning that out to ten years will undoubtedly hit the double whammies of inflation and income/capital loss.

you can reasonably expect costs to more than double in the next ten years, and you should consider the impact of being out of the labour market for more than a couple of years.

Sound advice from TV's own "Captain Sensible". If only I had asked GH for advice when I first got washed up on these shores .

[geeky]

it sounds like you would be better off starting with 2-3 weeks holiday here and have a good look around for yourself, you don't seem to have a good idea of how it works here ...

[Dave the Dude]

Hi nonpop

You seem to have a very sensible and realistic approach to this change and I wish you both well.

I would just like to mention that YOU need to keep busy more-so than your man. He will possibly have other farang man around to talk to, but that will be far from the case for a farang lady.

Your idea of teaching is a very good one IMHO as it helped me to find friends (both Farang and Engrish speaking Thai's)when I first got here 4 years ago.

Good Luck

[witold]

What is it with people and living by the ocean ? I just don't get it.

What do you think people think of when someone mentions Thailand in USA or EU?  It's one of the best things Thailand offers to the world.  Cheap cost of living can be found in many less developed countries, and so can generally pleasant and safe living environment.  

[yabaaaa]

Hua Hin "Area" I would say but not necessarily in Hua Hin, this way you have access to Bangkok and also access to the empty beaches near Chumphon and others heading down that way which I love (see photo).

You will need an International driving licence to drive for a year which you get in your own country, later you can do the Thai test it isnt hard.

You can "swap" your 1 yr international licence for a Thai licence WITHOUT doing a test :-)

Very doable for one year, even two, but spinning that out to ten years will undoubtedly hit the double whammies of inflation and income/capital loss.

you can reasonably expect costs to more than double in the next ten years, and you should consider the impact of being out of the labour market for more than a couple of years.

Sound advice from TV's own "Captain Sensible". If only I had asked GH for advice when I first got washed up on these shores .

When I said "test" i should have explained eye test, brake test, colour test NOT a physical drive in a car etc etc