New Beginnings

[Sue&John]

Dear All,

We are a couple of very green 50's something poms. Not the winging type, but the get out of Uk coz we hate it type.

We (a) want to go overland to Thailand (ferry's included!)

( want to retire to Koh Samui.

We are not rich, will have a small income and I (Sue) am disabled but healthy.

Anyone with constructive advice of how to establish ourselves there, would be very welcome to comment. Or in other words ....................HELP!

John used to be the Kit Car builder for Lomax if that means anything to anyone, I have had a career in bank related jobs and am ex CSA (wash my mouth out with soap) I am also learning Thai.

Please give us any feedback of useful info i.e. how we can remain for the longest time, what will it cost to live, how can we work if we want to, etc etc. Are there any groups or clubs for expats.

Thanks for reading this and hope to hear from you soon.

Sue & John

[Boo]

Hi Sue & John & welcome to the forum.

My main advice would be to speak with the thai embassy in London or the consul at Hull before any plans are made, as they will be able to tell you exactly what you will need financially & visa wise to retire in Thailand.

Sue, you don't specify what disability you have & depending what it is could be difficult for you to make regular visa runs so the embassy will advise the best visa for you both.

After that I would say, surf the net, think carefully & for a long time before investing in any business or property ventures in Thailand. Keep your wits about you & get a very good Bangkok based Lawyer.

Houses are easy to rent when you arrive in Samui, many different price ranges & locations, furniture is cheap & easily bought & delivered & I would say, vehicle purchase would probably be your main concern (?) & you should check out car dealers in Bangkok or larger cities as samui only has ex rental jeeps most of the time for sale & they are crap

Whatever you do, have a great time doing it & hopefully others will be able to give you more advise.

[happymanme]

sue and john i have found hull consulate to be very very good,giving every advice required and very fast visa by post system.

call them 01482 581668

a happyman

[Sue&John]

Dear Boo and Happymanme

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply.

We will ring Hull and ask.

Has anyone driven to Thailand? If so we would love to hear from you.

Also any tips, hints do's and don'ts would help.

What about banking. Must wqe be present to open one. Do they have credit cards and debit cards etc. Any helpful info here.

Thanks

Sue & John

[simon43]

Hi Sue & John!

My advise about driving overland to Thailand is ' don't do it!!' I fear you might not arrive in Samui . . . .

One comment. I live in Bangkok with my wife, but am moving very soon to Samui where we are going to build a small bungalow holiday resort that is fully accessible to disabled (wheelchair) users etc. I'm aware that you won't want to be staying at this resort, but it may be that you would consider living nearby so that you can use our hotel facilities, (such as gymnasium equipment for wheelchair users, swimming pool with wheelchair access - not via sling!)

The hotel will be built in the south of Samui, a few miles from Lamai, and about 200 metres from a wheelchair-accessible beach. Additionally, it is our intention to build some houses on our land by the hotel that are also adapted for disabled users, and the purchasers of those houses will also have free access to the hotel facilities.

cheers - Simon

[Sue&John]

Dear Boo and Happymanme

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply.

We will ring Hull and ask.

Has anyone driven to Thailand? If so we would love to hear from you.

Also any tips, hints do's and don'ts would help.

What about banking. Must wqe be present to open one. Do they have credit cards and debit cards etc. Any helpful info here.

Thanks

Sue & John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Sue&John]

Hi Sue & John!

My advise about driving overland to Thailand is ' don't do it!!'  I fear you might not arrive in Samui . . . .

One comment.  I live in Bangkok with my wife, but am moving very soon to Samui where we are going to build a small bungalow holiday resort that is fully accessible to disabled (wheelchair) users etc.  I'm aware that you won't want to be staying at this resort, but it may be that you would consider living nearby so that you can use our hotel facilities, (such as gymnasium equipment for wheelchair users, swimming pool with wheelchair access - not via sling!)

The hotel will be built in the south of Samui, a few miles from Lamai, and about 200 metres from a wheelchair-accessible beach. Additionally, it is our intention to build some houses on our land by the hotel that are also adapted for disabled users, and the purchasers of those houses will also have free access to the hotel facilities.

cheers - Simon

Thanks Simon,

I am only using a wheelchair for distances but the facilities sound great. What a good idea!

We want to retire to Koh Samui but still think we might drive and see how far we can get?

We intend to take it slow and stay where ever we like for as long as we like.

Thanks for the info

Sue and John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[happymanme]

sue and john there is loads of info ref banking in thailand here on the forum it would pay for you guys to spend a bit of time going through it cos you tend to learn loads of other stuff that you may not even know you need to know ................if ya know what i meen..............

also simon you got your land sorted out now then

[Sue&John]

sue and john there is loads of info ref banking in thailand here on the forum it would pay for you guys to spend a bit of time going through it cos you tend to learn loads of other stuff that you may not even know you need to know ................if ya know what i meen..............

also simon you got your land sorted out now then

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks we will search the posts and see what we can find

[happymanme]

sue and john please please follow the advice not to drive. i was speaking to a lorry driver that used to do the iran iraq lower russian run about 10 years ago and the tales he was telling would make ya ears pop............then when i asked why he stopped doing it he just said I WANTED TO LIVE and as you can imagine its got alot worse now.......... why not try the railway i think that i remember reading a bit on her about some people that came over on the trans siberien then down through china ..............

any way enough from me

[Rooo]

Hi Sue & john, try this site , it might answer some of your questions.Good luck. http://www.geocities.com/asiaoverland2000/index.html

[simon43]

Hi Happymanme - well, almost got the land sorted! But I'm waiting for some money to come from the UK. Looks like it will arrive late, in which case we miss getting the land and I have to start my search all over again

[taxexile]

i went to samui with my (thai) wife three years ago , we left the uk where we had been living for 15 years , and had decided to settle in samui , we had previously bought some land there with a good view and location , and intended to build a house there.

we soon became very dissillusioned with samui , and if you look in the samui forums and spend some time reading the posts there you may get some idea as to why some people are happy there and why some are not.

its developing at a breakneck speed and its certainly not cheap anymore , people come and go , and its hard to find much of a community there , there must be more estate agent on samui than in all of london , and they are all trying to sell the same dream. traffic volumes are becoming a problem too.

there are still some stunningly beautiful places there , but a lot of places that were once stunningly beautiful have been turned ugly by development and litter.

the attitudes of the islanders , and that includes mainlanders and foriegners who have gone to live and work there , seems to be to "get rich quick" and not much else.

as newbies to the island you will find it hard to hang on to your money , hard to get good service and hard to get things put right without extra expense when things dont go according to plan. "less than helpful" and "lack of professionalism" sums up the attitude of a lot of the businesses there i'm afraid , especially once you have paid for something and you are trying to get something put right.

beneath the sheen of a smooth running smiley tropical paradise is a fast running current of greed and avarice.

before embarking on your fantastic sounding overland trip , my advice would be to go to samui and live there for at least six months , preferably september to february , so you can experience the awful rainy season and the crowded christmas period .

you will make friends , contacts and get a good feel for the place , then you can decide if its for you or not.

we decided after about 12 months in all , that it wasnt for us , luckily we hadnt started to build our house , and we have now moved to another coastal town in thailand (hua hin ) that suits us a lot better.

samui is a fine place for a long holiday , but as a place to live , it gets the thumbs down.

however , if , after a few months there you decide you want to buy a piece of land with a stunning sea view , and big enough for a house of your own and a couple of smaller places to rent out , get in touch !!

see.... already we are after your money , and you havent even left blighty yet. someone wants you to book into his as yet unbuilt hotel , and i'm trying to sell you my land.

good luck.

Edited September 6, 2005 by taxexile

[wilko]

If you have property in UK, why not rent it out and live off the rental here for a while until you've found your feet and then take the final plunge at your leisure in a year or two's time?

[simon43]

Samui struck me as being very similar to Majorca, Spain. Many parts of the island are over-developed, but still lacking decent infra-structure, and inhabited by the worse sort of farang and Thai (as commented in the above post).

But, like Majorca, there are many areas which have yet to be developed, and where you can still find your dream, albeit not cheaply

During my visits to Samui I generally avoided the tourist areas and stayed in the south of the island. I met very few Thais that I would consider greedy. Most were very friendly but despised the 'skills' of the farang estate agents at being able to sell land at inflated prices.

Nowhere is perfect, everywhere has pros and cons. You can make your own paradise where you want

Simon

[taxexile]

During my visits to Samui I generally avoided the tourist areas and stayed in the south of the island. I met very few Thais that I would consider greedy. Most were very friendly but despised the 'skills' of the farang estate agents at being able to sell land at inflated prices.

i agree with you , the south of the island is still relatively unspoilt and retains a more traditional atmosphere , what a difference a 15 minute drive can make.

how long it will stay like that is anyones guess though , we left in may this year and bulldozers and builders encampments were becoming quite common in that part of the island. actually i dont have anything against development that is sympathetic to the surroundings , but there is so little control of what is built there.

your idea for a disabled friendly resort sounds great , something thats long overdue. i wish you luck with it.

[limbos]

Hi Sue & John & welcome to the forum.

My main advice would be to speak with the thai embassy in London or the consul at Hull before any plans are made, as they will be able to tell you exactly what you will need financially & visa wise to retire in Thailand.

Sue, you don't specify what disability you have & depending what it is could be difficult for you to make regular visa runs so the embassy will advise the best visa for you both.

After that I would say, surf the net, think carefully & for a long time before investing in any business or property ventures in Thailand. Keep your wits about you & get a very good Bangkok based Lawyer.

Houses are easy to rent when you arrive in Samui, many different price ranges & locations, furniture is cheap & easily bought & delivered & I would say, vehicle purchase would probably be your main concern (?) & you should check out car dealers in Bangkok or larger cities as samui only has ex rental jeeps most of the time for sale & they are crap

Whatever you do, have a great time doing it & hopefully others will be able to give you more advise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Boo,

Although your advice about Hull and a Bangkok based lawyer may be sound (although there are a few good lawyers here), I wonder when you were the last time on Samui, there are car dealerships of Ford, Toyota, Isuzu and Honda just to name a few on Samui. There's not a real advantage in buying a car in Bangkok and drive it down to Samui, afaik.

[Errol]

Dear Sue & John,

I bumped into your message below by co-incidence, but thought that I may be able to give you some advice on Thailand, given that I am a westener who was born and raised in Thailand. I spent the last 7 years working in London's banking industry, but have recently returned back home to Thailand.

Also, there is something else in your message that caught my eye, so perhaps we could communicate privately, rather than in this public forum?

My e-mail is [email protected].

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Errol

Dear All,

We are a couple of very green 50's something poms. Not the winging type, but the get out of Uk coz we hate it type.

We (a) want to go overland to Thailand (ferry's included!)

      ( want to retire to Koh Samui.

We are not rich, will have a small income and I (Sue) am disabled but healthy.

Anyone with constructive advice of how to establish ourselves there, would be very welcome to comment. Or in other words ....................HELP!

John used to be the Kit Car builder for Lomax if that means anything to anyone, I have had a career in bank related jobs and am ex CSA (wash my mouth out with soap) I am also learning Thai.

Please give us any feedback of useful info i.e. how we can remain for the longest time, what will it cost to live, how can we work if we want to, etc etc. Are there any groups or clubs for expats.

Thanks for reading this and hope to hear from you soon.

Sue & John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Jom1234]

Hi Sue & John

I can offer some good advice when you arrive on Samui. There is a lot happening on this island and the expats have joined together to offer a number of different clubs, The Rotary Club, Expats Club and Network Samui. However I suggest looking at Community magazine online - our monthly newspaper which is distributed all over the island and is a freeby! This would be a good place to find out email address and local information you can access this online..www.samuicoummunity.com

Hope this piece of Information helps you!

[Sue&John]

Hi Sue & John

I can offer some good advice when you arrive on Samui. There is a lot happening on this island and the expats have joined together to offer a number of different clubs, The Rotary Club, Expats Club and Network Samui. However I suggest looking at Community magazine online - our monthly newspaper which is distributed all over the island and is a freeby! This would be a good place to find out email address and local information you can access this online..www.samuicoummunity.com  

Hope this piece of Information helps you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Sue&John]

Hi Sue & John

I can offer some good advice when you arrive on Samui. There is a lot happening on this island and the expats have joined together to offer a number of different clubs, The Rotary Club, Expats Club and Network Samui. However I suggest looking at Community magazine online - our monthly newspaper which is distributed all over the island and is a freeby! This would be a good place to find out email address and local information you can access this online..www.samuicoummunity.com  

Hope this piece of Information helps you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

Thanks so much for the info

Sue and John

[sbk]

There is also a women's group called "Sisters on Samui".

Samui Community Organization guide

Community

Samui Clubs and Associations

ROCKS (Rotary Club Koh Samui)

The rotary Club is an international organisation and boasts members in over 160 countries worldwide. Their motto is "Service Above Self” and on Samui members organise fundraising events and co-ordinate charitable activities both on and off the island. ROCKS played an important role providing direct relief to tsunami victims on the west coast and the organisation also provides help to local schools and other community services. The membership is largely made up of local business people, both Thais and Foreigners, and the club holds weekly meetings to discuss and plan its projects. For more information visit the website at www.rotarysamui.org.

SCC

The Samui Culinary Circle is a network of food and beverage professionals who work in resorts and restaurants around the island. It boasts in the region of forty members, mostly drawing on executive chefs, FNB managers, and restaurateurs, and all the main hotels, as well as many of the island’s top restaurants are represented.

Sisters on Samui

SOS is a ladies only group that meets every third Wednesday of the month for lunch at different venues around the island. It is a great way to meet other women of all nationalities, who live or are visiting the island, in a friendly atmosphere. A percentage of the meal price is put aside each month and at the end of the year a significant donation to a mutually agreed deserving cause is made, so everyone benefits. If you have recently arrived on Samui and would like to know more about the SOS or attend a lunch event, contact Sue at [email protected]

Samui Lions Club

The Koh Samui Lions Club regularly makes donations to the island community. These include contributions like the installation of a water filter in a school to provide the children with fresh drinking water on site, and a gift of fifty footballs, given to the municipality office for the renovation of a youth football pitch near the airport as part of the national anti-drugs campaign. The Lions Club also help organise charity sporting events in conjunction with the Tourist Authority of Koh Samui. The club meets on every second Thursday of each month and all those interested in joining can call 01 892 0384

Animal Help

Dog Rescue

Unfortunately, stray and abandoned dogs can still be found everywhere on Samui. But the pooch’s lot has improved dramatically over the past three years since the Dog Rescue Centre Samui (DRCS) was founded by a dedicated group of animal lovers. DRCS provide essential medical care, food and a home for many canines and can advise on how to take a dog back to Europe. None of this comes cheap and the DRCS needs to raise 150,000 baht every month for dog food and medication. This is where you can help. Simply log on to www.samuidog.org for details of how to make a donation, or, if you have time, help out at the centre for a day. Tel. 077 413 490 or e-mail [email protected]