malct Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I was Talking to someone at work yesterday about how life is stressful living in the uk and how i like my holidays in Thailand. That got me thinking that if i like Thailand so much, by retiring in thailand once i get to 50 in September , would life become one big Holiday or would life become normal and you look forward to holidays elsewhere!!! Next month i am planning on getting married to my GF who i have been dating now for well over 3 years and she is here on a Visitors Visa. We are planning on a Spouce visa, But maybe better to sell up and move to LOS. I have been looking at working another 5 years and then My Girlfriend wants me to move up North to a town like khon kaen or Ubon where living is cheaper and buying a house would be cheaper than a resort. If life is like a holiday, then i should scrap thinking about the Visa's etc and just move to LOS. I would imagine that living up north is very different to living in a resort, so need to think about that one plus a little night life is a plus with a few bars. maybe a little house, sitting in a rocking chair with my chang and watching the world go by Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2003 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 You plan to marry? Well, as an adult you know marriage is no holiday. It is good (to many, including me), but no holiday. So even if you lived in paradise, it would not be just like a permanent holiday. Dont scrap thinking about visas because you will move here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I have lived here 6 years now and it is certainly no never ending holiday. I would not want to live in a village up north because you will be in total isolation. I love it here but life is what you make of it but it all boils down to yourself. You can be happy or miserable anywhere. I just think its easier here, but no not a holiday because things will become normal not like on a Holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand4life Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Moving up north.. getting married.. ahh.. your "dream" ends right there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaimate Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I have been here for 6 years now ,with the wife and son and life is just one long holiday ,but living in a village up north ,would be like a living death. usually after about 3 days i am climbing the walls when we visit her Mum and she lives just outside a big town . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlafStapleton Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) Next month i am planning on getting married to my GF who i have been dating now for well over 3 years and she is here on a Visitors Visa. We are planning on a Spouce visa, But maybe better to sell up and move to LOS. Marry in Thailand, not western world. Less easy for her to get 'entitlements' in west More easy for you in Thailand, less paperwork for VISA, easier divorce, etc. Life in Thailand one big holiday if plenty of money, not so fun if no money. DO NOT sell up in UK, no UK address lose entitlement to everything in UK, rent house in UK, rent house in Thailand. Rent from house in UK count towards VISA, buy house in Thailand in name wife get you nothing. LIve near big town fun (CM or BKK), live in prison in village near her family not fun. This morning school learn Thai, this afternoon swimming in lake, then read book by lake. Edited July 11, 2011 by OlafStapleton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I've only lived here full time for around 3 years...but to me, it's a holiday for sure. Sitting in the pool right now, beer Singh nearby, and watching the birds in the trees. Had a great seafood lunch on the beach and just relaxing now. Life doesn't get much better. I'm a beach lover, so not sure I would enjoy it as much inland. Before you commit to the interior, rent there for year or so. Rent is cheap!! And make sure you have your finances in order. Getting work here is very difficult. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyMcCollum Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 My living up north is in a small town of about 1 million people and my holiday is working 70 hours a week or more, but by my choice. I would not want to be anywhere else ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrona Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Next month i am planning on getting married to my GF who i have been dating now for well over 3 years and she is here on a Visitors Visa. We are planning on a Spouce visa, But maybe better to sell up and move to LOS. Marry in Thailand, not western world. Less easy for her to get 'entitlements' in west More easy for you in Thailand, less paperwork for VISA, easier divorce, etc. Life in Thailand one big holiday if plenty of money, not so fun if no money. DO NOT sell up in UK, no UK address lose entitlement to everything in UK, rent house in UK, rent house in Thailand. Rent from house in UK count towards VISA, buy house in Thailand in name wife get you nothing. LIve near big town fun (CM or BKK), live in prison in village near her family not fun. This morning school learn Thai, this afternoon swimming in lake, then read book by lake. Wise words Olaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malct Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thank you for the replies. Yes i have thought about renting my house out in the UK but that would restrict my spending but would give me a income. I dont get my pension for another 5 years, hence the reason for waiting 5 years. Like the idea of sitting by the pool but hate the thought about living in a village with nothing to do. I do understand her reasons for moving near family but their needs to be more going on than what their is in village life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ra1n85 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 To your question - no, not in my experience. Life continues in just another (beautiful) country. I would just add that you should have a good hobby to preoccupy yourself with. Idle hands... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlafStapleton Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I do understand her reasons for moving near family but their needs to be more going on than what their is in village life. Live near family, they in you house all time, eat you food, drink you beer, ask for loan all time. If distant they need money for bus ticket see you, they not see you often. If they live near BK, you live near CM. If they live near CM, you live near BK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmjantje Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I live in Thailand now for 6 years, the first three in CM now in Chiangrai. I live in a small village far away from the busy world, next to the family. I like it this way. but it is Not a holiday! Lucky enough we have enough money to have a very pleasant life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 The first 18 years here were one big holiday, but the last 3 years just seem normal until I think about how much living back home would suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapout Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I would keep on working toward your retirement and plan a holiday to Thailand with your wife, after you have been married a while. Spend the holiday where she proposes your building her a house. Stay with the in laws and see how you are received by them and others. Do the holiday bit every 2 years or so and note changes in how you are received, etc. When the wife mentions she is homesick, remind her that, if/when you commit to Thailand that will put you in the same situation and both of you need to be sure that total commitment is what you both want. Not knowing how much cash you can generate in selling up at home, but you have 5 years to get retirement income and a lot can go wrong overnight here, much less in 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazygourmet Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Since I was born, my life is a never ending holiday! Thanks to my parents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1955 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) Thank you for the replies. Yes i have thought about renting my house out in the UK but that would restrict my spending but would give me a income. I dont get my pension for another 5 years, hence the reason for waiting 5 years. Like the idea of sitting by the pool but hate the thought about living in a village with nothing to do. I do understand her reasons for moving near family but their needs to be more going on than what their is in village life. The more distance you make between her and her family the better it will be for you trsut me . Not that you want to keep her from her family , just that you dont want an All in the Family Life style . Plus she can scoot home to vist Maa and Paa for a few days and give you a break , which after a year I promise you will need .... Oh yes do get in a class to learn to speak Thai most are three days a week and you will enjoy it ....... Edited July 11, 2011 by BB1955 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayjayjay Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Only one question.. who does your immigration visa and do you enjoy the 90 day reporting..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayjayjay Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 The first 18 years here were one big holiday, but the last 3 years just seem normal until I think about how much living back home would suck. Interesting. What do you think changed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 My sex drive is not as strong as before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickThai Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I think, as other posters have stated, that it depends on where you live in Thailand and what your interests and hobbies are. I could never live in Bangkok due to the congestion, traffic, and crime (just as I could never live in New York City). You might like that kind of lifestyle. If you love the sea (fishing, snorkling, layout on the beach, etc), then for sure a resort area is probably where you want to be, but as stated, to live like a tourist you need to have enough disposable income to maintain the lifestyle. Also with a wife, your party options can become somewhat limited. If you move to a village, you will be surrounded by (mostly) non-English speaking people. I've found these Thais are actually nicer to falongs than the resort Thais, but it does limit your social life. Without something to keep you really interesested (studying Thai language, Buddhism, etc) you might get bored pretty quickly. An althernative might be a seaside village away from the resort areas, but many of these come with their own set of problems. Living close to Thai in-laws can be a big problem unless you have known them for a really long time, and have established a good relationship. Part of the Thai culture is for siblings and children to help their relatives with money problems. Being a falong, it is expected that you are probably much better off then most of the other family members, and thus you will oftentimes be hit upon to help out them out as problems arise (and arise they will from paying for the 10-year burial celebration of long-dead parents, to college tuition for neices and nephews, ad. infinitim. If you are okay with that, or if your wife is in a minoity and doesn't have anything to do with her relatives, than living close to Thai relatives can be a very rewarding and educating experience. However, just like anywhere else, some relatives are better than others. Maybe another way to look at it, is that there are tourist spots everywhere (Disneyland, London, etc) , if you have ever lived next to one, you know the 'fun' wears off after a bit. Best of luck, RickThai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Only one question.. who does your immigration visa and do you enjoy the 90 day reporting..... I've not found these to be a problem. 90 day reporting is a 10 minute drive and a 20 minute wait max...sometimes much less. No biggie. The yearly renewal takes about 3 hours beginning to end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky123 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I still live the dream here in Pattaya, everything you could ever want is HERE. Why would you live in a jungle with people you have zero in common with. 3 days is fine then its a boring, sticky, mossy infested slum dwelling. GET REAL. Buy in a place that YOU will have a great retirement, you have earned it, so why end up in misery,cos thats what it will be after the first few weeks. Plus if you complain you are history and back to dear old greylands without a pot. Read the book you chump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayjayjay Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 My sex drive is not as strong as before. An unexpected but honestly funny answer... :jap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjayjayjay Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Only one question.. who does your immigration visa and do you enjoy the 90 day reporting..... I've not found these to be a problem. 90 day reporting is a 10 minute drive and a 20 minute wait max...sometimes much less. No biggie. The yearly renewal takes about 3 hours beginning to end. Visa's depend very much on being able to tick the right boxes. Try being not married, under 50 yrs old, not working(by choice or not), and having 50% custody of children with a Thai. No Non-O! Only visa is tourist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Well, some of us are still working- some of us are even working and studying- so that's not all a holiday. However, the down time is a bit nicer in some ways, a bit more 'challenging' in others. Don't really have to worry about snow, but if you sweat, you'll sweat a lot. The beaches are within 3 hours of just about anywhere, but that's no different than other places I've lived. You can always get good tropical fruit, but you'll shell out for peaches and grapes. Food is local- but might be growing/swimming along the local polluted klong! There are lovely people just about everywhere, and there are pretty nasty people just about everywhere (like back home). Some of them are relatives of the others, sometimes. You may find the type of people that perhaps made you feel like 'the life of the party' as a tourist on the tourist scene seem to melt away, as any long term commitment to you keeps them from siphoning off the new tourist money every week. However, the real people you meet make it more than worth such a 'loss'. It also helps if you learn the language, but this sometimes presents significant challenges even to many people who are extremely linguistically gifted in many European languages (my guess is lack of a genetic marker that apparently is much more common among speakers of tonal languages). If you are the type who needs a lot of people around you who approach life similarly to sensible, step-by-step, scientifically dominated Europeans, you may not find so many Thais fitting that bill, especially in a rural setting, or in lower economic class groups. On the other hand, vive la difference! So if I haven't been too provocative here- things can be better or worse than home, depending on your choices, your company, and your point of view. Whether that counts as a 'holiday' I suppose is also up to you, as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotandhumid Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Read what rocky123 says and take very careful note. Why one earth would you want to live in a thai village and be away from civilisation? You are English not thai. I would rather stay in the UK than subject myself to that type of existence. Pattaya is the only place for me in Thailand, it has absolutely everything you could possibly want, and great areas nearby and not far from bkk and samet. You know it makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true blue Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 of course its one long holiday,why else would we be there.sun sea sand and of course sex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 It all depends on you it is your mind. My Mondays are better than most peoples xmas and that is where ever I am. But you can have a great time in Thailand yes it can be a holiday everyday or pure misery depending on you. Be sure you have the money, and leave your worries in the UK because if you bring them to Thailand you will be miserable. Good luck on what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chops Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I've lived here for 2-3 years and it's nothing such. I'm bored with the city I currently live in and I'm generally getting bored with Thailand. I was in holiday mode the first few months but now it's become rather dull. Now it is time to move on to another country for a new exciting life. Rinse and repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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