About To Make The Big Move, But How To Avoid Bitterness And Regret

[MJP]

Yes, I read a lot of stories about dogs eating people in Northern Thailand.

I was chased up the road by a pack of over a dozen the other year. Rear tyre blew out on the scooter device, so there I am, sparking up the road, slithering with feral hounds snapping at my heals . . .

MJP - if you are ever chased whilst on a motorbike by a soi dog(s) - immediately stop, turn round and make an aggressive sound at them! They enjoy the chase and will back off once the 'chase' has gone and they realise you are not happy....

I always do this as, even though I'm not frightened, they have to learn that chasing motorbikes is not a good thing. It hasn't failed yet.

My dear these aren't well educated middle class Phuket soi dogs. They are Issan's finest furry soi sharks from soi dog boot camp. They hunt in packs of up to 500.

Do not stop. Ever.

Edited January 25, 2011 by MJP

[F1fanatic]

Yes, I read a lot of stories about dogs eating people in Northern Thailand.

I was chased up the road by a pack of over a dozen the other year. Rear tyre blew out on the scooter device, so there I am, sparking up the road, slithering with feral hounds snapping at my heals . . .

MJP - if you are ever chased whilst on a motorbike by a soi dog(s) - immediately stop, turn round and make an aggressive sound at them! They enjoy the chase and will back off once the 'chase' has gone and they realise you are not happy....

I always do this as, even though I'm not frightened, they have to learn that chasing motorbikes is not a good thing. It hasn't failed yet.

My dear these aren't well educated middle class Phuket soi dogs. They are Issan's finest furry soi sharks from soi dog boot camp. They hunt in packs of up to 500.

Do not stop. Ever.

Hi, and thanks for making me laugh out loud (honestly)!

Not convinced though that they're enjoying anything more than the chase. Give it a try.

Best wishes.

[MJP]

Yes, I read a lot of stories about dogs eating people in Northern Thailand.

I was chased up the road by a pack of over a dozen the other year. Rear tyre blew out on the scooter device, so there I am, sparking up the road, slithering with feral hounds snapping at my heals . . .

MJP - if you are ever chased whilst on a motorbike by a soi dog(s) - immediately stop, turn round and make an aggressive sound at them! They enjoy the chase and will back off once the 'chase' has gone and they realise you are not happy....

I always do this as, even though I'm not frightened, they have to learn that chasing motorbikes is not a good thing. It hasn't failed yet.

My dear these aren't well educated middle class Phuket soi dogs. They are Issan's finest furry soi sharks from soi dog boot camp. They hunt in packs of up to 500.

Do not stop. Ever.

Hi, and thanks for making me laugh out loud (honestly)!

Not convinced though that they're enjoying anything more than the chase. Give it a try.

Best wishes.

I did. They threw the rocks back at me.

[IanForbes]

Trying to put this topic back on track...

There is a good reason for anyone new to Thailand to stay within the tourist areas if planning a long stay. That is where you can always find someone that will understand you. You won't find that in remote Thai towns and cities. You can wander around all day in Utaradit, Sakon Nakon or Ban Pong and not find one person that speaks English. You can go anywhere in Pattaya or Chiang Mai and just about everyone will speak enough English to answer a simple question.

The reason why people keep talking about the women and the bar scene is because that is where farang men who don't speak the Thai language are likely to meet women. It is as simple as that and is a very important aspect that has to be understood, otherwise a greenhorn is going to get into a lot of trouble.

Sitting in a beach cottage all day with nothing to do but drink beer and watch the sun set into an ocean sounds idylic, but quickly becomes boring when there isn't much else to do.

[F1fanatic]

MJP - in that case its time to put the snowballs together and start a real fight!

Sorry Ian, you're right I've taken it a bit off-track. Agree with your comments though.

[MJP]

Trying to put this topic back on track...

There is a good reason for anyone new to Thailand to stay within the tourist areas if planning a long stay. That is where you can always find someone that will understand you. You won't find that in remote Thai towns and cities. You can wander around all day in Utaradit, Sakon Nakon or Ban Pong and not find one person that speaks English. You can go anywhere in Pattaya or Chiang Mai and just about everyone will speak enough English to answer a simple question.

The reason why people keep talking about the women and the bar scene is because that is where farang men who don't speak the Thai language are likely to meet women. It is as simple as that and is a very important aspect that has to be understood, otherwise a greenhorn is going to get into a lot of trouble.

Sitting in a beach cottage all day with nothing to do but drink beer and watch the sun set into an ocean sounds idylic, but quickly becomes boring when there isn't much else to do.

Plenty of Thai folks in my seemingly remote village speak good English, are well traveled with the same knowledge of the world as the rest of us. Get into Roi-Et and there's load of 'em.

[bassyfarang]

When I say don't think it is wise to sleep with too many partners, I don't mean sticking to one (not that there is anything wrong with this), but the more one has the more boring I find it becomes. After a while it becomes mechanical and it's hard to look them in the eye when you were on this very same bed as the night before doing the same thing. It also gets kinda lonely as I find I start to falter when I spew out the same conversation pieces (it can even feel a bit sleazy). Fewer partners allows one to delve a little deeper into the lives of each and get more out of the experience. I have spent many an hour in many a go go, so my opening list is an attempt to point out some of the problems I have found (I am no saint).

I find that even in Pattaya it helps to speak Thai. 1. it allows you to filter out the worst Thai elements as they soon walk away if they think you know "too mutt"; and 2 it helps with talking to the nicer, less jaded bar girls (let alone non-bar girls). But even the more hardened and experienced bar girl's English tends to be quite limited and conversations are inevitably one dimensional. I find the harder girls are the most reluctant to speak Thai as they suspect you may be a threat. But once they run out of English (which they nearly all do before too long) they revert to Thai and give up on the English. The harder ones are more stubborn and take longer to accept that their English usually does not have enough depth for a proper conversation.

Thanks for all the advice to date. Some very thoughtful and helpful comments - and the various rants have been very entertaining too!!

[MAJIC]

Your experiences in Life is what Makes or Breaks you,

and Thailand will be no different,in that respect,

So there is no definative answer to your question.

[cobra]

The people I know that failed to adapt here in Thailand almost to a man became very isolated other than the internet. Do make social contacts!

Excellent point,

Living in isolation narrows your view,

seeing something from several angles is always advantageous.

Yes, develop a social network, mix it up, some friends, a few confidants and one crazy person for perspective.

[Beetlejuice]

If thinking of living in Thailand there is only one important factor to remember that can be explained in one word: MONEY.

Do you have enough liquid assets to support yourself through the good times and the bad times?

Can you sustain yourself through any economic decline?

Can you survive in Thailand if no work or in between jobs?

Could you live comfortably and not be on the bare minimum?

Do you have reserve funds for a rainy day?

Could you satisfy Immigration by having the right amount of money in a Thai bank account without having to do border runs?

If the answer to all my questions above is yes, then the rest mentioned on your list will naturally fall into place and no need to worry.

If no to any of my questions, then think again before moving here. In Thailand if you fall down no one is going to pick you up, not your ex pat pals, not your embassy and probably not your friends and family in your own country.

Thailand is not so cheap as some believe and many the mighty have fallen here.

My answer to your question is: if you want to avoid bitterness and regret, plan it right and think carefully, it`s not about what you want to do, but can you afford to do it.

It is impossible to say if I have enough to be able to afford it, which is why I refer to not spending beyond my means. I believe that if one spends 1 baht less a month than one earns, one can be relaxed about finances and so, in conjunction with other things, have a fulfilling life. I have modest UK properties that are not mortgaged and that with an occupancy rate of 85% after agents fees, tax a maintenance currently provide about 100k (baht) a month and I have other investments that currently provide about 15-20k (bath) a month (so the capital values here are not huge). I will also bring about 2 million baht cash to live off for the first couple of years. My UK occupational pensions are small and I am 27 years away from being able to take a pension at NRD from these.

But my plan is to work, teaching English (20 - 30k a month - I hope). I am not currently a teacher, but like the idea of settling into the sticks and getting a teaching job. If I have no job, I risk falling apart. My plan is to live of 60k a month, or maybe less. I believe that if I had just 20k a month, provided the rest of my life was in shape, and I was not spending beyond my means, I would be just as happy than with more, hell maybe even more happy as it would force me to be more resourceful.

Would you consider being my best friend? I only read some of your post the parts that mention millions of bahts and I`m starting to fall in love with you already.

[craigt3365]

In 2004 I arrived in Thailand and moved into the Nana Plaza hotel. For breakfast I went to Gulliver's, afternoon cocktails at the Biergarten and then on to the Cathouse all you can drink special. When the special hours were over and I tired of watching the cats I tumbled into the Rainbow's in sequence, played in the Nana Plaza parking lot and ended up after closing at the disco in the mothership. When that got dull I went to see Mark the Frenchman on Soi 7. Then off to Chiang Mai and Hotstuff, Bubbles and a late night snack at Spicy. Do you really think Pattaya was a shock treatment? You must be kidding or naive.

Ha! Me and my friends use to hang out at the Cathouse also! 100B all you can drink from 4-6. What a great way to start the evening!