Can I Retire In Pattaya

[banglay]

I just do not understand the mentality of someone who wants to jump on the scrap heap at 40.

My suggestion to the OP is if he really really does not want to work anymore, is to live the high life now because the boredom will kill him.

If the OP really wants to do something then think of investing in a business, if he is really dead set on Pattaya though I would suggest looking further afield why not look at being a franchisee of a proven business model.

As a franchisee managing his business, the business should pay him a wage and be an investment at the same time judging by the amount he has to invest he should not have a problem with a work visa either.

The early you can retire the better !!!! "scrap heap at 40" is better than being old and knackered at retirement age and not being able to enjoy life there after ..."you are a long time dead"

"Boredom will kill" " I am bored" is a statement you generally hear from kids ....and not from a fulfilled adult .

SO ENJOY LIFE WHILE YOU CAN go for it

[LeCharivari]

I just do not understand the mentality of someone who wants to jump on the scrap heap at 40.

My suggestion to the OP is if he really really does not want to work anymore, is to live the high life now because the boredom will kill him.

I retired here (Thailand) at 36, 18 years ago, and the one thing I have never suffered from is "boredom" - there simply aren't enough hours in the day, even though I only sleep 4 or 5 hours a day, spend a couple of hours on Forums (like this!) a week, and haven't been to a bar for years.

It isn't a question necessarily of wanting to "live the high life"; I already had, at least as much as I wanted to, but I had already achieved what I wanted to, seen and done the things I wanted to (and some I didn't want to) and I wanted time to "smell the roses" on my own terms.

If that's not for you, so be it, but I have never had the time to be bored.

[ronz28]

Since you said - I will be able to continue in my current position as long as we (US) are in Afghanistan, but getting very tired of working in hostile environments... that's a determining factor.

I would quit risking my life and give Thailand a try... just watch your money and rent don't buy any property. Forget business in Thailand, just another way to lose your lifetime savings. Go to school when you get to Thailand and really learn the Thai language. For fun and a little income you could give teaching a try after learning Thai.

Chances are some sweet babe will be targeting your savings so be on guard.

[chops]

did i say come ? this place is changing FAST and if at least one or one half of the reasons u r coming is / are the cute girls , i give that 5 years more at the most .

It's changing so fast 10 years from now you won't even recognize it. Most likely it will be turned into a huge resort for Indians and Russians. Most of the bars will be bulldozed and gone. Walking Street will be bulldozed and most of the western expats will be long gone.

Personally, I'd prepare for 5 years then think about other locations in Asia to retire.

[BaronCasey]

Think twice about purchasing a condo immediately. It's not uncommon for people to buy one, and then one or two years later, wish they'd bought in a different location, only to find that the market is awash with new condos and they just can't find a buyer for their own unless they take a significant loss. Rent for a year, and see.

[BaronCasey]

did i say come ? this place is changing FAST and if at least one or one half of the reasons u r coming is / are the cute girls , i give that 5 years more at the most .

It's changing so fast 10 years from now you won't even recognize it. Most likely it will be turned into a huge resort for Indians and Russians. Most of the bars will be bulldozed and gone. Walking Street will be bulldozed and most of the western expats will be long gone.

Personally, I'd prepare for 5 years then think about other locations in Asia to retire.

I'm interested in your opinion, and I don't have one on this aspect of Pattaya, other than the fact that bar-girl scene has only grown since my first visits from the early 1980's onwards - what exactly do you predict, and why?

[globalmenace]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

[Jingthing]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

It's not quite that simple. As I said before, he needs to aggressively invest the money, and yes, in the earlier years, definitely spend frugally.

[ronz28]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

It's not quite that simple. As I said before, he needs to aggressively invest the money, and yes, in the earlier years, definitely spend frugally.

Sure have to be careful with the timing of that aggressiveness and watch the stock charts. For example, an aggressive leveraged small cap ETF went from $9 to $95 from 3/2009 to the recent high but during that run it had a sell off from $72.24 down to $31.50. If you time it wrong, you could be in for a big downturn and take a lot of heat hoping for your ETF (exchange traded fund) to recover. You can just watch trendlines and get into cash when they breakdown and back in when ETF breaks out again but its not easy.

[globalmenace]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

It's not quite that simple. As I said before, he needs to aggressively invest the money, and yes, in the earlier years, definitely spend frugally.

It's not quite that complicated either. The time to invest aggressively is not when you are retired.

[Jingthing]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

It's not quite that simple. As I said before, he needs to aggressively invest the money, and yes, in the earlier years, definitely spend frugally.

It's not quite that complicated either. The time to invest aggressively is not when you are retired.

I don't agree; if you retire EARLY and don't have the cash for that to last a long life. Then your only option of success is to continue to invest. This is basic stuff. You might as well do it, because if you don't failure is almost certain; if you do, you have a chance.

The other option is NOT to retire early. But frankly, these days, lots of people are retiring early because their employment prospects have ended. Not the OP's case, but very common in the US now for over 50's to be finished, and not by choice.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Jingthing

[globalmenace]

You have enough money to last the rest of your life. As long as you don't buy anything. $400K US just isn't enough considering you are likely to live another 40 years.

Good luck, but I think you will regret it. Take a look at the average farang living in a flophouse around Soi Bukhao and ask yourself, do I really want to be that guy?

It's not quite that simple. As I said before, he needs to aggressively invest the money, and yes, in the earlier years, definitely spend frugally.

It's not quite that complicated either. The time to invest aggressively is not when you are retired.

I don't agree; if you retire EARLY and don't have the cash for that to last a long life. Then your only option of success is to continue to invest. This is basic stuff. You might as well do it, because if you don't failure is almost certain; if you do, you have a chance.

The other option is NOT to retire early. But frankly, these days, lots of people are retiring early because their employment prospects have ended. Not the OP's case, but very common in the US now for over 50's to be finished, and not by choice.

I disagree as well, but that's OK. My guess is he is gainfully employed, perhaps operating a business. At 44, these are his prime years for generating income and wealth. He should just stick to that, take his vacations here, and wait for 7-10 years. It is very tempting to think you can just chuck it all and live in bliss here. Very tempting, I know. But I resisted, and am sure I made the right decision.

You are correct that after you are fifty, you are unemployable if you lose your job or business. I never hire anyone over that age, and that is the risk he faces. $400K US is not enough.

I think you are giving him bad advice. I hate to see all these sad sacks around here that have sacrificed a decent quality of life, only to face the prospect of returning to their homeland in their later years as paupers.

Sorry, it's late and I don't usually go on the computer at this hour. But the beach and my squeeze were just too wonderful, and I slept most of the day.

Good luck with whatever he decides to do.

[Jingthing]

Read my posts on this thread. I didn't advise he retire early at all. I just added some comments about some issues to think about IF he does so.

[banglay]

:jap:

Read my posts on this thread. I didn't advise he retire early at all. I just added some comments about some issues to think about IF he does so.

WOW!!!!! 24.024 in approx 5 1/2 years that's around 12 postings per day ......how do you find the time to be a food critic and a international financial adviser...and a old sage all rolled into one ? :jap:

(Posted tongue in check not ment to offend )

[Jingthing]

:jap:

Read my posts on this thread. I didn't advise he retire early at all. I just added some comments about some issues to think about IF he does so.

WOW!!!!! 24.024 in approx 5 1/2 years that's around 12 postings per day ......how do you find the time to be a food critic and a international financial adviser...and a old sage all rolled into one ? :jap:

(Posted tongue in check not ment to offend )

I said my posts on THIS thread, not ALL my posts. Anyone who bothers to read all my posts is madder than I am.

Perhaps it would make a good thesis subject though for an advanced degree at the University of Absurdia.

Next ...

Edited April 14, 2011 by Jingthing

[DMC1]

OP i take it that you are a security consultant, yes? Why don't you continue to work in Afghan/Iraq and live in Thailand? I have quite a few friends who work in your game and live very happily in Thailand on their downtime. Keep earning the money while you can. Re-asses when you are 50.

[globalmenace]

:jap:

Read my posts on this thread. I didn't advise he retire early at all. I just added some comments about some issues to think about IF he does so.

WOW!!!!! 24.024 in approx 5 1/2 years that's around 12 postings per day ......how do you find the time to be a food critic and a international financial adviser...and a old sage all rolled into one ? :jap:

(Posted tongue in check not ment to offend )

For starters, if you can't afford a car, adequate insurance, a comfortable house and all the other things you had back home, go back to the land of the free and the home of the brave and hitchhike. You give the rest of us a bad name.

And get rid of your computer. Please?

Edited April 15, 2011 by Rimmer
Personal attack

[Jingthing]

For starters, if you can't afford a car, adequate insurance, a comfortable house and all the other things you had back home, go back to the land of the free and the home of the brave and hitchhike. You give the rest of us a bad name.

And get rid of your computer. Please?

Why would you want your retired life in a foreign country to be exactly like your previous life in the west? I find your post obnoxious and also extremely presumptuous.

Edited April 15, 2011 by Rimmer
Quoted reply of edited post

[chops]

OP i take it that you are a security consultant, yes? Why don't you continue to work in Afghan/Iraq and live in Thailand? I have quite a few friends who work in your game and live very happily in Thailand on their downtime. Keep earning the money while you can. Re-asses when you are 50.

I don't have any money to retire here. Wish I did. Luckily my business moves with me and I can operate it from anywhere on the planet.

As soon as I earn money I spend it. Helps reduce the inflation risks to my assets.

[kdc1899]

go work in kuwait, qatar, korea or japan till you're 50.

Plenty of asian tang you can mess around with in these countries.

You'll make decent wages and have a couple days off per week.

Too easy....

[kdc1899]

also,

if he put 200k into philip morris and kraft he would get a dividend of roughly 3k U.S. per month

If those 2 go out of bizness we are in more trouble than money can solve

[Naam]

also, if he put 200k into philip morris and kraft he would get a dividend of roughly 3k U.S. per month

only in wet dreams!

dividend yield Philip Morris = 8.51%, Kraft 3.69% (2011 estimates) = ~$ 1,000 / month less taxes.

[Schooner]

Different strokes for different folks. Here's my 2 cents on the subject.

Life is short. I was diagnosed with cancer at 38 and it changed my life. I was given a 50% chance of living for 5 years even after all the treatments they wanted me to do. I got the tumor cut out and never looked back. My main goal was to get my kids raised and after that I quit my job and hit the road. For the first 10 years or so I would take a year off and work for 2-3 and then it reversed to taking more time off. This was against the advice of everyone and I admit that there were some lean times but I was living the dream and doing all the things I wanted to do. The great thing about free time is time to think and explore ideas for making money. Unfortunately the doctors prediction has not come to pass yet but I think it is lurking. At the rate I'm going I probably won't make it to SS. I've always been able to pull a rabbit out of my hat but I have to admit it is not for the faint hearted.

My fall back has always been to be a Walmart greeter assuming they still have them.

The guys I started out with, who kept on the career path are all millionaires. I keep in touch with them and they are stressed to the max. They may have huge assets, but I wouldn't call it a satisfying life. What is happening in the states right now is eating people alive and I'm glad I'm outta there. I just hope that they don't find a cure for cancer (as is my wife I imagine) then I'm screwed.

One important point Pattaya is great. Don't expect to live here and not fall in love unless your made of stone. Plan on breaking the budget the first year and then you'll settle down.

75 percent of people report significant regrets in old age that they didn't do this or that I will not be one of them.

[kdc1899]

also, if he put 200k into philip morris and kraft he would get a dividend of roughly 3k U.S. per month

only in wet dreams!

dividend yield Philip Morris = 8.51%, Kraft 3.69% (2011 estimates) = ~$ 1,000 / month less taxes.

I've had other folks tell me that my dividend calculations areoff. Can you pm me or post the formula for 1/4ly dividend payouts.

I must be getting close because I had 12K U.S. per 1/4 ( 3k per month)

you have 3k per 1/4

[mark45y]

Different strokes for different folks. Here's my 2 cents on the subject.

Life is short. I was diagnosed with cancer at 38 and it changed my life. I was given a 50% chance of living for 5 years even after all the treatments they wanted me to do. I got the tumor cut out and never looked back. My main goal was to get my kids raised and after that I quit my job and hit the road. For the first 10 years or so I would take a year off and work for 2-3 and then it reversed to taking more time off. This was against the advice of everyone and I admit that there were some lean times but I was living the dream and doing all the things I wanted to do. The great thing about free time is time to think and explore ideas for making money. Unfortunately the doctors prediction has not come to pass yet but I think it is lurking. At the rate I'm going I probably won't make it to SS. I've always been able to pull a rabbit out of my hat but I have to admit it is not for the faint hearted.

My fall back has always been to be a Walmart greeter assuming they still have them.

The guys I started out with, who kept on the career path are all millionaires. I keep in touch with them and they are stressed to the max. They may have huge assets, but I wouldn't call it a satisfying life. What is happening in the states right now is eating people alive and I'm glad I'm outta there. I just hope that they don't find a cure for cancer (as is my wife I imagine) then I'm screwed.

One important point Pattaya is great. Don't expect to live here and not fall in love unless your made of stone. Plan on breaking the budget the first year and then you'll settle down.

75 percent of people report significant regrets in old age that they didn't do this or that I will not be one of them.

I agree Pattaya is great and I also agree about the old guy regrets thing. For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "It might have been!"

But I would suggest starting somewhere else besides Pattaya. Pattaya can be a killer if you don't have some Thai experience.

Pick a smaller town at first, learn some Thai and some Thai ways before you hit Pattaya.

[FarangBuddha]

Try and invest and leave most your money outside Thailand unless you go for Investment visa.

Interesting advice...US dollar has lost 25% of its value (purchasing power) vs. the Thai baht over the past decade...and predicted to continue to loose value...

US real-estate market/investments have lost 30-50% of their value over the past decade...

The Thai stock market has tripled over the past decade while the US stock market is basically flat over the same period...

I wonder where the better place to invest one's money has been...and might be in the future

[mark45y]

Try and invest and leave most your money outside Thailand unless you go for Investment visa.

Interesting advice...US dollar has lost 25% of its value (purchasing power) vs. the Thai baht over the past decade...and predicted to continue to loose value...

US real-estate market/investments have lost 30-50% of their value over the past decade...

The Thai stock market has tripled over the past decade while the US stock market is basically flat over the same period...

I wonder where the better place to invest one's money has been...and might be in the future

I got to Thailand in 2005. 40 baht to 1 dollar. I changed my dollars into baht because I was too dumb to know any better.

[Naam]

also, if he put 200k into philip morris and kraft he would get a dividend of roughly 3k U.S. per month

only in wet dreams!

dividend yield Philip Morris = 8.51%, Kraft 3.69% (2011 estimates) = ~$ 1,000 / month less taxes.

I've had other folks tell me that my dividend calculations areoff. Can you pm me or post the formula for 1/4ly dividend payouts.

I must be getting close because I had 12K U.S. per 1/4 ( 3k per month)

you have 3k per 1/4

i didn't use any formula but just looked up the yield of each share, assumed a 50:50 PM/Kraft spread of the 200k you mentioned and arrived at slightly more than 12k per annum.

addendum: i used the high dividend CZK currency for Philip Morris. using USD then dividend yield is a meager 3.90%

Edited April 16, 2011 by Naam

[banglay]

also, if he put 200k into philip morris and kraft he would get a dividend of roughly 3k U.S. per month

only in wet dreams!

dividend yield Philip Morris = 8.51%, Kraft 3.69% (2011 estimates) = ~$ 1,000 / month less taxes.

I've had other folks tell me that my dividend calculations areoff. Can you pm me or post the formula for 1/4ly dividend payouts.

I must be getting close because I had 12K U.S. per 1/4 ( 3k per month)

you have 3k per 1/4

i didn't use any formula but just looked up the yield of each share, assumed a 50:50 PM/Kraft spread of the 200k you mentioned and arrived at slightly more than 12k per annum.

addendum: i used the high dividend CZK currency for Philip Morris. using USD then dividend yield is a meager 3.90%

With hind sight we'd all be rich

[kdc1899]

Looks like we had the same math but I thought the12K U.S. would be paid out quarterly (not yearly).

Live and learn