Retirement In Chiang Mai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

My plan has always been to retire in Chiang Mai. I took one full day as an opportunity to do kind of a 'dry run' to see what retirement in Chiang Mai would be like. I have of course visited all sights and attractions in Chiang Mai already, as any retired person eventually has, so with nothing left to check off on a list of 'things to see and do' I set out to spend a day just being 'retired'... a stroll around town, taking some pictures, having a coffee in some of the sois, reading the English language newspaper and even that other rag that passes for one, and had some beers and chatted with other retired people.

It wasn't pretty.

Especially not at places where other retirees naturally congregate: the bars that are open by 8am and sell beer and booze for 40 and 30 baht respectively. Before anyone shouts, I realize this is not everyone. Some people stay home all day, watch TV and muck about in the garden. Then your Thai wife gets bored out of her skull and it's her roaming around downtown, having latte's and generally acting retired. And chatting up other men out for a stroll, like me. (This was actually one of the highlights of the day; at least she wasn't drunk and obnoxious. And she bought me a latte.)

Up until now I was under the impression that when around bars, all the bad vibes happen well into the small hours of the night. I was wrong; they happen also in the bigger hours of the morning, at noon, and the whole afternoon. I had to dodge obnoxious drunk Farang guys several times. I saw a a few being refused service or otherwise asked to leave bars, then they stumbled off into the sois. I think retirement and 30 baht booze does not a good combination make. And to do it day after day... surely retirement shouldn't be like a life sentence in jail + booze?

What else is there to do, for people who don't play golf? What does retired life look like for you, other than complain to the cashier at Rim Ping about the mayonnaise running out, and then royally bitching about it on online forums? After you've done that, read the papers, took a dump, then what else? Is it a matter of bitching on-line in the morning, and then get wasted and be obnoxious and/or sad around bars? Please tell me there is more?

[Loaded]

Volunteer or teach English are two useful, productive and personally rewarding occupations in Chiang Mai.

[Ulysses G.]

Breakfast with the friendly folks at Butter is Better, Art Cafe, Mad dog, The Garden or Bake and Bite. Work out and take a swim and sauna at one of the hotel health clubs. Have a therapeutic massage or a happy massage and take the chance to practice one's Thai.

There are a lot of positive things to do here according to one's interests.

Edited February 8, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[jayjay0]

It is what you make it.

If you enjoy walking around and having a cup of coffee or a beer with friends it is good.

If you enjoy reading internet games and TV it is good.

If you enjoy the opportunity to go on a holiday or little trip any time it is good.

Only you can make it happen or not happen.

What is sad is when a person has to depend on a job to not only bring home the pay check but to make his life good.

[caf]

Yes, there's a lot more, Winnie. But each to his own. If people want to spend all their days in a bar who are we to comment. The Thais actually detest the drunken behaviour often seen but while they're spending money it's good business

There are some very decent Thais around ( some that need avoiding too - as with any nationality)but having some integration with them may be a useful start. But you won't get far with the clubs that say they have been set up to do that - they are just commercial ventures and making good money if you do the maths. Talking to and getting to know ordinary Thais can be enjoyable. Getting involved in the things the Thais like doing

There's golf as you say but most leisure pursuits revolve the short term tourist

There are some libraries but none to western standards. There are groups like camera clubs, reading clubs, etc. They tend to be very farang but no problem with that

caf

[venturalaw]

I don't play golf either. But I do work out lifting weights, swimming and I play racquetball. There are plenty of places to hike, and plenty of people who enjoy joining in. I have yet to spend a day, much less a morning, visiting a bar. I agree, THAT would be depressing. I'd rather visit different restaurants. There are so many here to choose from. Some good, some not so good, some great. Then there's the internet - I can spend hours exploring, reading. So, what to do in retirement - there are not enough hours in the day.

[garyh]

If you where back where you come from what would you do there?

[uptheos]

Compare prices on the farang foods in Rimping, Tops, Tesco, Carrefour, Makro, Big C et al on a daily basis and report back.......what are the movers, who has the specials, what's not selling well.

It's a time consuming job, but a very worthwhile service for us lazy sods and if you do it on foot, there's lots of exercise to be had between 10am and 10 pm.

[Semper]

Compare prices on the farang foods in Rimping, Tops, Tesco, Carrefour, Makro, Big C et al on a daily basis and report back.......what are the movers, who has the specials, what's not selling well.

It's a time consuming job, but a very worthwhile service for us lazy sods and if you do it on foot, there's lots of exercise to be had between 10am and 10 pm.

[Genericnic]

Winnie,

Retirement is what you make of it wherever you are. My stepdad had a great saying about retirement. He said, "you can rust out or wear out." He did the latter and I am following his example. I just retired last week and my bucket list is longer now than it was before retirement. None of the things on my list include spending time in bars. Ok for others but I'll pass. You don't see much of the world there.

Even before I retired, I joined the the Chiang Mai Photographic Group and am looking forward to my first in-person meeting with them later this month. I have plans to return to Angkor Wat and spend a month taking pictures. The 7 days I did there last time was not long enough. And then there are the motorcycle rides.

Make a list of things that really interest you, make plans to do them, and then execute the plan. If you are lucky, you will run out of life before you run out of plans.

Best to you

David

[pjclark1]

In the UK

I took the dog for walks, worked part-time as a maths teacher in a comprehensive, watched movies, played video games, browsed the Internet, read books, went to the pub once a week (couldn't afford it).

In Chiang-Mai

I walk up the mountains looking for waterfalls, go to Thai lessons 3 times a week (YMCA), watch movies, browse the Internet, read books, go to the pub (a lot), have sex with younger women, go out to eat.

Pretty much the same as the UK but with sex and eating out thrown in. Two things I couldn't afford to do in the UK.

Better climate too!

Edited February 8, 2011 by pjclark1

[isanbirder]

Retirement anywhere is much the same. You have to find yourself some sort of objective in life... otherwise you will become one of the farangs in the bars drinking themselves to death; you can die of boredom too. I retired in Chiangmai, but circumstances then dictated that I move to deepest Buriram; not for everybody by all means. But I'm generally a solitary kind of person anyway, and don't need lots of farangs round me. I like to read a lot, always have done, and supply myself with books by regular trips back to Chiangmai, and by downloading from the Internet. I keep myself in good shape by a two-hour walk every morning with my dogs, building up a picture of the bird life of my area (birdwatching has been a lifelong hobby). I have clean air round me, and can even sometimes watch birds from the house. What more can I ask for? Yes, there are things I would like, but I don't allow myself to become miserable because I don't have them.

Each person who reads this will be different... and sure most of you wouldn't like my kind of life. But the main point is this... when you retire, do something; don't allow yourself just to vegetate. Your specimen day of retirement, Winnie, sounds like just that.

[thaitar]

Sounds like you just have no hobbies. I think with that attitude you can't retire anyone. What would you do daily in your home country?

[Mestizo]

There is plenty to do! For example:

- Royally bitching about the cold season on online forums

- Royally bitching about the burning/smokey season on online forums

- Royally bitching about SONGKRAN on online forums

- Royally bitching about the rainy season on online forums

- Royally bitching about the Loi Krathong fireworks on online forums

- Royally bitching about the New Years Eve fireworks on online forums

Why, its basically a non-stop, year around job!

-Mestizo

[ThaiPauly]

I prefer being retired in CM than I would anywhere else in LOS.

You wanna see REAL early morning mayhem, then Pattaya is the place to be from what I understand.

I can be in town early and have never experience drunken foreign shirtless louts in the 6 years I have been here.

Sometimes I do what WTK was not impressed with, breakfast in a small backstreet soi, reading the English Language papers and chatting with other ex-pats, I love it

Retirement is what you make it. I don't play golf either, but just BEING here is enough for me, and I count my blessings I am

[chiang mai]

I tried retirement in Chiang Mai for a couple of years and found boredom to be a major problem, there's only so much to do in CM and I couldn't find too much there to stimulate my interests. I subsequently moved South, to Phuket and I find there's more here to keep me interested, even if it's only enjoy the views which is difficult to do in the North for a large part of the year. It's always been said that people need to make a plan for their retirement but we fail to understand how important this is, until we retire! The wild card in all of this of course is the extent to which each of us have hobbies, firmly identified things we want to achieve/do and the degree to which each of us needs external stimulation.

[Sparkles]

How anyone could possible be bored,in retirement, is beyond me unless you are sitting in a 6m sq cell in the Bangkok Hilton or being on T.V. all day. Apart from previous posters suggestions, go to the AUA library, do some research on things that have interested you in your lifetime.While you are there check out City Life Magazines latest issue,"Community Page" and "Whats happening Page" host of things there to see and do. Write, or record, your life story.If you have kids it will bring them immense interest/pleasure when you are no longer around to answer questions. Take some trips to Chiang Dao and other parts of Northern Thailand,stay a night or 2. Plenty of community work out there if you want to help those less fortunate than yourself.Swim every day. In this climate you can do it and stay healthy

I was born to be retired,to do all the things I never had time to do before, the list is endless only shackled by your own imagination, or lack of it.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far. I guess just because you're in an interesting location you can't just walk out the door in the morning and expect to be entertained. I've had similar days in Pattaya where I just walked out the door, and was comparing to that. Because in Pattaya I kind of was entertained, though to be honest that may also be because it is a less familiar destination to me, so I had more to explore. I bet even in Pattaya a daily routine without goals, objectives or accomplishments becomes really boring and quite possibly depressing even in a place like Fun City. I guess retirement is not the same thing as an extended holiday: a holiday spent boozing and relaxing by the sea: awesome. But you probably can't spend retirement that way, although clearly some do.

I do have a little more to add about my 'day in retirement'.

--> While it was much harder to enjoy a bar crawl than it was in Pattaya, at the end of the day it did turn out to be similar, and enjoyable. It just took more effort, and the result was more in doubt I suppose.

--> There are bars, restaurants and cafes in various formats going up all the way to the Night Bazar on Loi Kroh road. Came across the best BLT I've had in a while. I never thought I'd say it, but Loi Kroh road felt much 'higher end' than the bum-area around Thapae / Moon Muang. (Though still a mix of higher end with some bummyness around too, which is more appealing than being on Nimmanhaemin road where it's more consistently higher end / boring.)

You wanna see REAL early morning mayhem, then Pattaya is the place to be from what I understand.

I've done that and it's not that bad. There's the sea you can gaze at for example. I'll admit there's only so much gazing you can do in retirement before it gets old. And there are more people around, so the focus is less on the real sad cases.

Sounds like you just have no hobbies. I think with that attitude you can't retire anyone. What would you do daily in your home country?

I don't remember, I've been here too long. But I can tell you what I would be doing here I suppose. It wouldn't be teaching English because that sounds far too much like work. However:

- Do some gardenign or even light farming, growing stuff, building a wooden garden home

- Tinker with a classic motorbike like a Honda Cub 50 or 70.

- Joining other clubs and thinks, perhaps a flying club.

- Spend some effort on making a small part of the world a better place, no matter how small.

- etc.

But if all of that fails then it'll have to be golf, I suppose.

Edited February 8, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[ianf]

Sounds like you just have no hobbies. I think with that attitude you can't retire anyone. What would you do daily in your home country?

I'm out most mornings on my bicycle with a group of friendly and nice farangs (some Thais from Time to Time). Anything from 70 to 120km most mornings keeps you slim, fit and healthy. Who needs the bars at 8am? A bit disgusting when there is so much else to do.

[Ulysses G.]

There is plenty to do! For example:

- Royally bitching about the cold season on online forums

- Royally bitching about the burning/smokey season on online forums

- Royally bitching about SONGKRAN on online forums

- Royally bitching about the rainy season on online forums

- Royally bitching about the Loi Krathong fireworks on online forums

- Royally bitching about the New Years Eve fireworks on online forums

Why, its basically a non-stop, year around job!

-Mestizo

This seems to be one of the most popular forms of entertainment around here.

[alant]

Sounds like you just have no hobbies. I think with that attitude you can't retire anyone. What would you do daily in your home country?

I'm out most mornings on my bicycle with a group of friendly and nice farangs (some Thais from Time to Time). Anything from 70 to 120km most mornings keeps you slim, fit and healthy. Who needs the bars at 8am? A bit disgusting when there is so much else to do.

"disgusting" ???

[Ulysses G.]

"disgusting" ???

At 8 am? YES!

[LJW]

You won't be near retirement age for more than 30 years,,,

In those 30 years, Chiang Mai will change a lot.

Hopefully you will too

I moved here when I was about your age....26 years later, I am relaxed and happy

[jayjay0]

Sounds like you just have no hobbies. I think with that attitude you can't retire anyone. What would you do daily in your home country?

I'm out most mornings on my bicycle with a group of friendly and nice farangs (some Thais from Time to Time). Anything from 70 to 120km most mornings keeps you slim, fit and healthy. Who needs the bars at 8am? A bit disgusting when there is so much else to do.

"disgusting" ???

Could be worse. Could be playing golf.

[clinique]

Becasue its relaxing and I am happy here. and there is alive and let live attitude, unlike overseas. And there is plenty to do and see if you get a bit involved in the community..

[SadieMBeagle]

Winnie,

To echo many of the posters here, I think the two main things you should tackle in your retirement are:

1. Brushing up on your Thai

2. Integrating more with the Thai people

But not until 30(!) years from now, when you reach retirement age

[chiang mai]

Type A personalities aren't designed for retirement, Type B are, goal/deadline/task driven folks should stay working, it's worth checking out which one you are and acting accordingly, I wish I'd realised the difference before I retired.

[AmeriThai]

I guess retirement is not the same thing as an extended holiday: a holiday spent boozing and relaxing by the sea: awesome.

I dunno Winnie. I think retirement can be very much like an extended holiday, of sorts. The way I look at it is that the main thing is you can do what you want, whenever you want, not because you have to. You're not tied to a time clock. You're the boss of your own life and make your own choices to do whatever you enjoy doing. You can try lots of different things. You can even kick back and take it easy.

A few guys I know take digital camcorders along with them and capture all kinds of things, places they go, things they do, people they meet, then post them on YT to share with everyone. Some of the vids I've seen are truely amazing and give lots of great ideas about places and things I never thought about before. Not everyone's cup of tea, but it's just that there are loads of things a person can do, especially when they're retired that they never had time for before. It's really impressive to see all the different ideas people in this thread have come up with.

Cheers!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Winnie,

To echo many of the posters here, I think the two main things you should tackle in your retirement are:

1. Brushing up on your Thai

2. Integrating more with the Thai people

I integrated a couple times with Thai people and that resulted in two kids. There's got to be a limit on the amount of integration you're required to go through as a foreigner.

Edited February 8, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I guess retirement is not the same thing as an extended holiday: a holiday spent boozing and relaxing by the sea: awesome.

I dunno Winnie. I think retirement can be very much like an extended holiday, of sorts. The way I look at it is that the main thing is you can do what you want, whenever you want, not because you have to. You're not tied to a time clock. You're the boss of your own life and make your own choices to do whatever you enjoy doing. You can try lots of different things. You can even kick back and take it easy.

A few guys I know take digital camcorders along with them and capture all kinds of things, places they go, things they do, people they meet, then post them on YT to share with everyone. Some of the vids I've seen are truely amazing and give lots of great ideas about places and things I never thought about before. Not everyone's cup of tea, but it's just that there are loads of things a person can do, especially when they're retired that they never had time for before. It's really impressive to see all the different ideas people in this thread have come up with.

Cheers!

Yeah.. I think a lot of that behavior (making vids, pictures) is related to being a fairly new arrival in a new and different place, but with lots of friends and family back 'home'. So then for a couple years people are amazed by all kinds of common things, and share that with those they left behind.

Thing is though, after living in Thailand longer than most Thaise I meet (come retirement age), there won't be a whole lot of overseas people I'd want to share pictures of wall geckos with, or do a Youtube upload everytime I see a family of 6 plus their dog on a Honda Click.