Welcome To New Members - 2554/2011

[asinbasil]

Hello Everybody,

I live in London and my name is Nigel.

Thank you for letting me join your community, been looking around and found some really interesting posts and great pictures already.

I am so looking forward to my first visit to Thailand very soon and my thoughts are with everybody who has been affected by the terrible flooding.

[Filo]

Hello to All

I am Filippo 33 yo Italian nationality and working in Thailand since long time......considering this fantastic and beautiful country my home...ciao ciao

[Deaw]

My name is Patrick, I come from USA but now live in Koh Phangan

I have been reading updates from Thai Visa for years and years and finally decided to start up a screen name

and start posting and contributing.

great website! cheers, Deaw

Edited November 9, 2011 by Deaw

[thepanom]

Hello All,

My name is Rick (which you probably already figured out from my User Name). I am a 58 yo, married man. My wife is a Thai/US citizen and we have been married for 36 years. I retired last year from my job as a software engineer and plan on moving to Thailand in two years (once I hit 60). My wife is from the Kamphang Phet area, and we're not sure if we want to live near there to be near her family or at a more touristy locale (I'm crazy about beach life). We plan on going to Koh Samui next year and try living there for a month. We've been to Phuket a couple of times and once to Koh Chang. Not quite what I have in mind.

I've already put in a couple of posts in the Central Thailand and Koh Sumui, etc forums and have gotten some really good information. I really look forward to meeting some of you in person.

I had a liver transplant about 3 years ago, so I don't drink anymore, but I still enjoy good conversations.

I've been trying to learn Thai. I can read it and write much better than I can speak it or understand the spoken word. I just don't have the ear for the spoken word I'm afraid, but I keep plugging along.

Looking forward to hearing more from you about your life in Thailand as an expatriot.

Cheers,

Rick

Hi Rick,

have a look at Cha-am, stay there for a few days, and who knows, mabey thats what you are looking for

[MiG16]

Welcome to the forum everyone

[eveningson]

Hi folks, just a newbie intro today.

Here I come, another typical stereotypical retiree to LOS. Well, I am, stereotypical that is. I will heading to LOS around about early to mid September to grab at a slight early retirement. Early meaning pre 65. I've been lurking around here for a while learning the ropes about visas, cost of living and the general attitude of those of you who have moved to Thailand, for better or worse. Luckily most of you are on the "better" side of the ledger. There are a few of you who are really pissed off for some reason but, the world is made up of all kinds.

Me: I'm 62, Canadian, small bank account, small pension and tight budget. I've decided that I can't afford to live in Canada on my income and don't have the time to build a larger bank account. I lost two businesses in the 80s, lost even bigger during the divorce in the 90s, semi-gave up and became the artsy writer guy over the next dozen years. I used to write op-ed columns for the local daily, learned to paint (abstract) and make stain glass panels, none of which comes close to paying the bills, and I quit smoking around that time as well. I like Smithwick's, the occasional Guinness and have found that Black Bush (Bushmills for unenlightened) likes me way too much.

I intend to live frugally in LOS and will need all the help I can get to find the right way to do that. I am leaning heavily toward making Chiang Mai my future. Everything people here say about it is positive and make it sound affordable and liveable. No, I have never been to Thailand before but I have been left with two choices: one is/was Mexico, cheap to live yes but, with the drug wars going on less desirable. I would have preferred scoping out Thailand before now but I hurt myself during my last (and final) contract in a very nasty place (central Asia) so my travel plans (scoping) were curtailed. I will be living on dual entry visas (visa runs built into the budget) since I don't have enough in the bank to qualify for anything else.

Hope that's not too much information but, there you have it. Thanks to all who may offer their help and friendship in the future.

Stereotypical Al.

As a canadian now early retired to mexico, i plan to check out thailand for a year and perhaps settle. Mexico is a very nice place and the drug war has not directly affected me yet. but in the end it is the fundamental reason why i am moving since everything is affected by it. attitudes, what you say in public, how people treat you and a general sense of dread that the stuff might spill over. and i am tired of tacos all of the time. i live in a mexican city with only a few expats and there is a lot of different choices for mexican food and we have a walmart and a costco and really good internet and all of that but it is tough to always have tacos.

so, i am curious about why you chose thailand because i would like to know what it is like to make that decision.

[SimonD]

Hello All,

I first visited LOS in January 2007 and moved there in September that year to see if I could live there 'long time'. Found out I could and had a really great time. Met a decent girl and rented a small house. Unfortunately I'm too young to retire yet so I'm back in the UK working hard to build a future in the sun while my girl does her bit in for our finances in a Bangkok furniture factory.

I joined this forum back in late 2007 but this is the first time (I think) I've ever gotten around to posting. Lots of good info here - and much more mature than some other Thailand forums I've looked at. Glad to be aboard!

Simon

[claaay]

Hi everyone. I just joined, and posted a questions about eyeglasses a little while ago. I'm about to make my second trip to Thailand in a couple of weeks, and will swing through Cambodia too.

[emanphoto]

Hi, moving to BKK in 6-8 mos. from US

[DemstarAus]

Hello All,

My Dad and now Step-Mum just got back from their two week honeymoon in Phuket. They absolutely loved it and want to take all of us (myself and her children) there next year.

I'm here to learn about Thailand's culture and customs, and hopefully gather as much useful information as possible to make my eventual journey there as enjoyable as possible.

Thanks everyone

[MiG16]

Welcome to the forum everyone

Hope you all enjoy your time in thailand and on the forum

Demstar - I certainly recommend the site for all sorts of useful information about Thailand. Possibly the most comprehensive you can find. However if you want to search through the site to learn about thai culture I suggest you read the opinions and take it all with a grain of salt.

Many do have really good knowledge and understanding of the culture. But there are also enough who have a misconception of the culture, or a confusion between someone's personal values (or lack thereof) and culture

[bobinthegulf]

Apologies if wrong forum.....trying to find out if min buri market is open yet....anybody? cheers

[MiG16]

bob - not sure what/where minburi market is

and yes, this thread is mainly for people to say hello and introduce themselves...so might be hard to get a response to a specific question like that...

cheers

[DentBalmer]

Hi Everyone!

I'm Dieter, 33yr old Swiss/Aussie married to a beautiful Thai Lady from a small village near Khon Kaen. I plan to retire in Thailand one day... or if possible work/run a business before.

Looks like a great forum.

[sysardman]

I have been here nearly a year and having a ball, I am a computer hacker, but a good computer hacker.

Interesting choice of phrase, I'd love to know what is a 'good' computer hacker. It's like saying I'm a burglar, but I'm a good burglar.

Any uninvited intrusion into ones computer cannot be classed as good unless the owner invited you to test their security.

[VoterPower]

hi guys

Nice t'see you , t'see you nice

Seasons greetings to you and to the thai people in exercising their power in the recent election.

I have an interest in thai matters and am hoping to finally settle soon, after a few attempts already.

Like the layout of the forum

Edited December 27, 2011 by VoterPower

[DocN]

Hi there- my name is Nils and I am from Hamburg/ Germany...which means, I take pride in the words " I am a Hamburger!"

Live in Thailand for 4 years now (Oct. 07) and work in tourism (thanks for the words of condolence!).

[MiG16]

welcome to the forum everyone

[lumply]

Seems that there are a number of members planning to come over to Thailand. Weight and cost of belongings are an issue. Emirates Airlines have a 30kgs per pax baggage weight allowance via Dubai at no extra cost for economy and 40kgs biz class. Useful, their network is pretty much worldwide. This may be of help to prospective travellers. Bon Voyage.