Expats -- If You Had A Million Dollars, Would You Stay In Thailand?

[Dag]

The most important thing here is that you like your tacky crap and can live amongst it without feeling ill......some people envy you for that.

envy? what about those people and their irrelevant bitching about other people's furniture (of which they have no idea) in a thread with the topic "if you had a million dollars...?" NOT "tell us what you think of other people's furniture?"

anybody with an IQ above 82.5 reading their postings will realise the underlying motives in a fraction of a second.

So you're saying you do not understand the motives ??

[StreetCowboy]

The most important thing here is that you like your tacky crap and can live amongst it without feeling ill......some people envy you for that.

envy? what about those people and their irrelevant bitching about other people's furniture (of which they have no idea) in a thread with the topic "if you had a million dollars...?" NOT "tell us what you think of other people's furniture?"

anybody with an IQ above 82.5 reading their postings will realise the underlying motives in a fraction of a second.

So you're saying you do not understand the motives ??

I don't want to hijack the thread, but if I had a million dollars, I would still buy Ikea furniture. Or, to be more precise, I would send a man to buy it. Ikea furniture is the McDonalds of practical furniture; consistent and reliable. No-one makes MFI jokes about IKEA. The only IKE A product I have ever complained about was a dish rack, which was designed for IKEA 10" dinner plates, when I had 12" plates from another supplier, but that was really a fault of my expectations, rather than the product.

The furniture store on my ground floor sells furniture similar in appearance to what I believe was posted in Naam's home snaps, and really, I can't imagine it in my place. I'd look like a right pretentious arse with a Louis XIV chaise-longue in a road-side shanty.

If I had a million, I'd get some new corrugated iron sheeting, for a start.

SC

[Darrel]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but if I had a million dollars, I would still buy Ikea furniture. Or, to be more precise, I would send a man to buy it. Ikea furniture is the McDonalds of practical furniture; consistent and reliable.

IKEA products are indeed like McDonalds: tasteless, soulless, overpriced and intrinsically unsatisfying.

I woudn't buy anything from either brand, no matter how rich or poor I was.

[StreetCowboy]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but if I had a million dollars, I would still buy Ikea furniture. Or, to be more precise, I would send a man to buy it. Ikea furniture is the McDonalds of practical furniture; consistent and reliable.

IKEA products are indeed like McDonalds: tasteless, soulless, overpriced and intrinsically unsatisfying.

I woudn't buy anything from either brand, no matter how rich or poor I was.

I've always found IKEA products to be exceptionally good value. McDonalds, I find frustratingly bland, and I'm quite happy to pay a few baht more for food, so I rarely eat there. But it appeals to the immature palate, and the bairns can think of little finer.

I bought a bed from another store, once, and then spent half as much again on tools to fix it when it broke. And even then, because of design deficiencies, it was not in good condition when I threw it out in less than a year. Having said that, I did enjoy the joinery. I can see why the joiner of Nazareth could have been fatally tempted to put two pieces of wood together....

SC

[Naam]

If I had a million, I'd get some new corrugated iron sheeting, for a start.

SC

and i like honest Street Cowboys!

[Naam]

because i'm too clumsy i am asking my good friend Jingthing, the resident pollster expert par excellence, to prepare a poll:

"Why i hate Naam's guts"

° he does not drink Chang, id est he is a pompous àrse

° he never told me how big his pool is

° he hates fans, prefers airconditioning and wastes energy

° his electricity bill is higher than what i spend on beer

° he is a fool because he built a house in Thailand instead at the Côte d'Azur

° he is a racist because he doesn't have a Thai wife/girl-/boyfriend

° he employs a multilingual gardener, a multilingual housekeeper and a singlelingual driver

° he can't control his ugly wife who does not allow him to have a mia noi

° there's something wrong with him being married to the same wife since 32 years

° he does not frequent bars in Soi 6, rumour has it he does not frequent bars at all

° he turns left when entering an aircraft

° his house is furnished with tacky furniture

° he loves Thai food and even adds prikh nam pla when eating Farang food

° he never (or hardly ever) bitches about Thailand's shortcomings

° he thinks the Thai Baht will appreciate vs. Dollar, Pound and €UR

° he does not own a Honda Wave

° he has no mates in Darwin or [insert appropriate location]

° he owns only three pairs of age old shoes, most of the time he walks barefoot

° he wears shorts even when leaving his home

° he prefers to eat food at home instead of having a tasty noodle soup from a street vendor

° he keeps dogs

multiple choice allowed!

[Dag]

You forgot...

Attention seeker and pretentious.

But its good for a start.

[Naam]

° the washbasins in his bathrooms are mounted flat in marble or granite slabs instead of placing them in a shitty way on top, which is "en vogue", thus demonstrating that one possesses "class" and "taste" to boast about.

[PattayaParent]

^I hope your wife didn't read your list!

[atyclb]

^At least you might get some taste in furniture....

like the one your Thai wife selected to furnish your home?

yep...glad you agree. Certainly better than anything you seem to have....art wise also......but as they say, good taste cannot be bought.

[Naam]

^I hope your wife didn't read your list!

the best wife on this planet knows that she has to take whatever i say 'cum grano salis'

[Pacificperson]

Naam, we love ya and Jingthing too. Keep the forum interesting.

[gk10002000]

I am not an Ex Pat yet but do qualify for the retirement visa and am getting very close to being able to retire so I am thinking of it. I probably will spend 3 to 6 months a year in Thailand for sure.

From a cash flow perspective in US Dollars, one million could be invested in reasonably safe and good quality municipal bonds. I have several hundred thousand dollars worth of them, all averaging out at about 5% interest. They have maturities ranging up to 18 years. $1,000,000 at 5% is $50,000 per year, tax free. I make sure I only buy AMT exempt bonds also. $50,000 a year, let's say $48,000 for convenience, is $4,000 USD a month. At 30 baht per dollar, that is over 120,000 Thai Baht per month. Now one can certainly spend more than that in one month, but one can also live very very comfortably on that.

[harryfrompattaya]

Poll Update: currently showing 24 millioniares.

Lovely.....

What bull I read all of you fake millioniares complain about a 3,000 btah electric bill you bounch of Cheap Charlies.

Because you all have nothing

[DocN]

Sure I would! Build some nice bungalows, run them privately with my wife (who I would still have to marry...and I would)...and be a happy man!

[thaimate]

_{I would stay because its our home and we love it here}

[tfc]

I'd try to buy a way to stay here.

[KRS1]

I'm assuming its some time since you travelled through Dubai Mr Naam as the new first class lounge is enormous. Indeed it was a full five minutes walk through all the different eating and spa areas before I arrived at the champagne bar.

Furtunately a glass was quickly delivered to my table as I got comfy on the leather sofa....oh and the waiter had the good sense to bring an ashtray and lighter without being asked.

I think I spotted two other customers in the couple of hours I spent there.

indeed! it must be at least five years since we don't use Emirates. not only because of inconvenient connection times in Dubai but mainly due to some special circumstances as we fly first with Qatar but paying business fare. nothing wrong with the Dubai lounges (both first and business), food and drinks are excellent (much better than Qatar in Doha).

Naam, would you happen to have any 'Grey Poupon'...?

Edited January 4, 2012 by KRS1

[ExpatOilWorker]

yes

[MaiChai]

There wan't an option for me so I lied and ticked the 'I already have a million dollars'.

For me the answer is that I don't like staying in Thailand all the time. I also love my home country and love travelling. So I would keep an apartment here, but that would be it. Staying in Thailand all the time is just too limiting. There is a great and wonderful world out there.

[Ulysses G.]

I do not think that one is required to stay in Thailand every single day. IMO the question is would one live in Thailand most of the time and my answer is yes. Just think what fun one could have in Thailand with endless cash.

[lovelaos]

I am not an Ex Pat yet but do qualify for the retirement visa and am getting very close to being able to retire so I am thinking of it. I probably will spend 3 to 6 months a year in Thailand for sure.

From a cash flow perspective in US Dollars, one million could be invested in reasonably safe and good quality municipal bonds. I have several hundred thousand dollars worth of them, all averaging out at about 5% interest. They have maturities ranging up to 18 years. $1,000,000 at 5% is $50,000 per year, tax free. I make sure I only buy AMT exempt bonds also. $50,000 a year, let's say $48,000 for convenience, is $4,000 USD a month. At 30 baht per dollar, that is over 120,000 Thai Baht per month. Now one can certainly spend more than that in one month, but one can also live very very comfortably on that.

Certainly, until one falls for the charms of the local female.

[Hooters]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

[Jingthing]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

1. You can do better than 6 percent.

2. You want to die with the million dollars or enjoy it?

[MaiChai]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

Or stay somewhere cheaper? There are alternatives. Cambodia? Philippines? Vietnam. All of those are cheaper. Then there are parts of South America, Mexico? Must be lots of cheap interesting, warm, places to live?

[KamalaDreamer]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

1. You can do better than 6 percent.

2. You want to die with the million dollars or enjoy it?

"I can only sit on one chair at a time, sleep in one bed at a time and eat one meal at a sitting.." Post from Khun IanForbes.

Same for me.

If I had the choice would I stay with the IndoChine gook or go with the New York heiress?

I'd stay.

Interesting what a poll amongst farangs with bamboo might throw up.

[KamalaDreamer]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

1. You can do better than 6 percent.

2. You want to die with the million dollars or enjoy it?

"I can only sit on one chair at a time, sleep in one bed at a time and eat one meal at a sitting.." Post from Khun IanForbes.

Same for me.

If I had the choice would I stay with the IndoChine gook or go with the New York heiress?

I'd stay.

Interesting what a poll amongst farangs with bamboo might throw up.

PS. Anybody doing 15 posts a day every day needs to get a life.

White millionaire. Poor Thai girl.

Up to you.

Looks like you've made your decision or had it made for you.

Good evening Mr Forbes.

[Hooters]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

1. You can do better than 6 percent.

2. You want to die with the million dollars or enjoy it?

If i knew when i would die , sure.

problem is when you start chomping at the principle. if your 40 and live to 80 your screwed....or should i say 'used to get screwed"

[NormanW]

Thailand is my home, I wouldn't leave. But I probably would pay off my sister's mortgage and maybe fix up our old house a bit. But I don't need for much, so, no it wouldn't change a thing.

I'd eat Swensens ice cream every day

Foot massage every day.

Buy a nicer car

Buy a nicer bike.

And relax.

[Hooters]

1 mill at 6% interest is 60k a years. not that much is it? and certainly wouldnt substain a flash lifestyle in Syd, NY or london

Would have to stay here no choice really

1. You can do better than 6 percent.

2. You want to die with the million dollars or enjoy it?

"I can only sit on one chair at a time, sleep in one bed at a time and eat one meal at a sitting.." Post from Khun IanForbes.

Same for me.

If I had the choice would I stay with the IndoChine gook or go with the New York heiress?

I'd stay.

Interesting what a poll amongst farangs with bamboo might throw up.

"I can only sit on one chair at a time, sleep in one bed at a time and eat one meal at a sitting.." Post from Khun IanForbes."

That is what poor people say to justify . The quality of the chair , bed and meal is pretty important otherwise we would all be sleeping in the barn with buffalos and mamas noodles would be a treat