Retiring In Thailand Pros And Cons

[wally1k]

A friend who is thinking of retiring in Thailand asked me to look over his

list of pros and cons. I thought if would be fun to share

If anyone has something to add it would be welcome

Thanks all

PROs

Ladies treat the man like a leader with respect

Food is tasty and healthy

Money can go a long way if your smart

Buddhist culture is pretty easy going

Easy to make friends with locals and expats

Easy to travel and join in the many activities

Good weather - but very hot and need to acclimate

Good heath care and reasonable fees for it

CONs

Hard to find western food

English is not spoken by most

Autos are expensive

Rain, cloudy a for half a year

Thai language is difficult to learn

Sometimes hard to get things done when you don't speak the language

Limited cultural exposure

ok - your turn

[onthedarkside]

Hard to find western food in Chiang Mai ?? - I don't think so.

[Slaps]

Well you got a couple right Wally

The rest will be corrected soon

.

[Ulysses G.]

Pros: Never lonely

Cons: Too hot during hot season

[tolstoy]

PROs

Ladies treat the man like a leader with respect (Not sure I would go that far, but they are less confrontational than most western women)

Food is tasty and healthy (northern food and north east is relatively healthy, but coconut laden curries from the south and central are not healthy.

Money can go a long way if your smart (there are many things a lot more expensive here than in the West) but overall you can live frugally and still enjoy many nice things.

Buddhist culture is pretty easy going (can be but most people aren't truly buddhist) Many people are just as greedy and arrogant and duplicitious as the rest of the modern world.)

Easy to make friends with locals and expats (yes, but be careful who you trust) Chiang Mai is a small town mentality people tend to know other people's business.

Easy to travel and join in the many activities (true but not a lot of art and high culture)

Good weather - but very hot and need to acclimate (CM can get cool in the winter)

Good heath care and reasonable fees for it (adequate healthy care. Good health care is expensive)

CONs

Hard to find western food (you don't live here do you) Too many western places. Not many good quality places that have a reasonable price.

English is not spoken by most (again, you don't live here do you) 95+% of every foreigner here doesn't speak Thai so yes the local populace do speak English. Although you might not be able to have in depth conversations. Even the garbage man in my community can say a few words.

Autos are expensive (Not really unless you are buying western cars, I wouldn't say that 15,000 dollars for a new car is that expensive. Gas is pretty high though.)

Rain, cloudy a for half a year (Rain is seldom continuos) You might get downpours everyday at 3pm for an hour or two but you can do most things. It isn't like monsoon season in coastal Japan or Korea.

Thai language is difficult to learn (only if you are stupid and don't try) Any person can learn basic sayings to get around in a week or two.

Sometimes hard to get things done when you don't speak the language

Limited cultural exposure

For me though, most of your cons would be pros. I didn't come here to speak English or hang out with expats. I came to learn about the history, culture, language and just to be.

[elektrified]

PROs

Ladies treat the man like a leader with respect - Hahaha LOL . Who told you that? Maybe 25 years ago...

Food is tasty and healthy - Tasty yes. Salt, sugar, palm oil, MSG, naam plaa...healthy? I don't think so.

Money can go a long way if your smart - not any more sadly. Around 1985-1995 (or earlier of course) you could live here very cheap.

Buddhist culture is pretty easy going - O.K. I agree

Easy to make friends with locals and expats - I agree

Easy to travel and join in the many activities - I agree

Good weather - but very hot and need to acclimate - for the most part

Good heath care and reasonable fees for it - O.K. healthcare and it ain't reasonable anymore.

CONs

Hard to find western food - hahaha LOL There is too much of it that is just O.K., not great.

English is not spoken by most - not a problem in the least bit.

Autos are expensive - you got it right there.

Rain, cloudy a for half a year - great time to be here.

Thai language is difficult to learn - true but not impossible. Takes some time.

Sometimes hard to get things done when you don't speak the language - May be for some.

Limited cultural exposure - ???

[cardholder]

Brave post Wally - well done - and by giving your own list it provides the opportunity for idiots like me to drive a coach and horses through them !

PROs

Ladies treat the man like a leader with respect - There are many stories to the contrary

Food is tasty and healthy Usually because it is doused in chillies and garlic - have you read the health reports on milled white rice ?

Money can go a long way if your smart Agree

Buddhist culture is pretty easy going Hmmm. Not sure about that - but I respect other people choices so will refrain from commenting further.

Easy to make friends with locals and expats largely true, but no different from most similar communities

Easy to travel and join in the many activities Not exclusive to Thailand

Good weather - but very hot and need to acclimate I would moan more about the cold in the UK than the heat in Thailand

Good heath care and reasonable fees for it I would question the reasonable fees on the more major health care requirements - coupled with the difficulty in getting health cover as you get older. The NHS beats the 30 Baht Thai system any day.

CONs

Hard to find western food I have 3 freezers full of and sell 150,000 Baht a month ofWestern food. It is becoming widey avauilable

English is not spoken by most You will never starve and there is always a 7/11. If local conversation is important then learning the language is necessary. Would agree in that communication is the biggest issue for an expat.

Autos are expensive In absolute terms yes, but running costs no. I am happy pay just over 60p for a litre of diesel - GBP 1.40 someyjing now in the UK ?

Rain, cloudy a for half a year Not all day, everyday and a a welcome break from heat. Not the issue that I thought it was.

Thai language is difficult to learn English is said to be harder. It can be fun learning with a partner but if you cant get the tones you are stuffed.

Sometimes hard to get things done when you don't speak the language Agree - under the communication banner.

Limited cultural exposure Presumably to the outside world ? Not quite sure your intention on this one. The Thais do have a certain arrogance born out of indoctrination and lack of colonisation. It gives them a 'Thai culture' but keeps them in a narrow area.

As I said, bold post which COULD bring out some interesting responses. For me there are actually very few real negatives - and I can learn to live with most. The pros are not quite as strong once you have been here a while (I suspect true of anywhere).

Biggest pros for me (versus UK) -- climate, overall cost of living, sex (relationship options if you want a more PC response).

Biggest cons: Communication and Thai driving.

[doji]

"Ladies treat the man like a leader.."

[LemanRus]

"Limited cultural exposure"

I'm sure the OP means no disrespect to our Thai hosts. Yes Western Cultural experiences are limited but Thai culture is highly developed and has been around for a long time

Nanzhao (729 AD) attained a high level of culture. Skilled artisans taught the weaving of cotton and silk gauze. Salt and gold were mined in many parts of the kingdom, and a complex system of government and administration was developed.

http://ancientweb.org/explore/country/Thailand

[Jingthing]

Thai food isn't that healthy actually.

So much is fried in palm oil. There are issues with the cleanliness and chemical contents of the produce. There is way too much sugar.

[cardholder]

Thai food isn't that healthy actually.

So much is fried in palm oil. There are issues with the cleanliness and chemical contents of the produce. There is way too much sugar.

Indeed - we now cook everything in Rice Bran Oil - better taste etc, etc

[ludditeman]

Biggest pros for me (versus UK) -- climate, overall cost of living, sex (relationship options if you want a more PC response).

I agree with your pros.

Don't care about the driving.

[cardholder]

Biggest pros for me (versus UK) -- climate, overall cost of living, sex (relationship options if you want a more PC response).

I agree with your pros.

Don't care about the driving.

I accept that the driving is a personal obsession (that I need to get over) but <deleted> where does it say in the Thai Highway Code, or on driving courses , that (if on a motorcy) you indicate right but hug the left hand side of the road when turning right - usually sone 10 metres before the junction so can attack it (the wrong/oncoming lane) at 45 degrees !

[uptheos]

One thing Thailand is not short of and that's pro's.

[Beetlejuice]

"Ladies treat the man like a leader.."

Personally I prefer the lady to take the lead, but that`s for another thread on another day.

PROs:

Thailand has everything and one can live the the life of Riley here.

CONs:

Run out of money and you`re sunk. Suddenly paradise turns into a living hell.

The PROs are for those considering living here; you better know what you are doing and plan carefully for the future.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[CheGuava]

CONs:

Run out of money and you`re sunk. Suddenly paradise turns into a living hell.

As opposed to running out of money.. where? I'd like to know.

One thing Thailand is not short of and that's pro's.

Yes, but should the pros be mentioned under the cons?

[gamini]

Cons

I would add that The Thais are a wonderful people and when you make freinds with them they can be very helful and hospitable and loyal. Thia is specially true in Chiangmai

[wally1k]

Thanks for all the great responses. I will email my friend - It will expand his view of the matter I am sure

w

[Thakkar]

"Ladies treat the man like a leader"

I find this amusing. But if true, it should be in the 'con' column, and here's why: men are prone to flights of whimsy and impracticality. For example, when building a house, a man might want his very own batcave (perfectly reasonable, I think). The woman would pretend to agree, but plan to do nothing of the sort. In the end, he would be presented with an office. Now, how the <deleted> is he supposed to fight crime with an office??

(And while on the subject, if there were a guy who dressed and walked like a penguin, I would want him as a friend, not enemy, because a friend like that would be quite amusing to have).

One of my biggest gripes about Chiangmai is the lack of a large, well-stocked public library. On the scale of typical government expenditures, it would cost a minuscule amount and the positive returns to society are incalculable. Granted, if there were one, it would be stocked mostly with Thai language books. Still, it would be a nice place to hang out, and yes, I realize saying this makes me sound creepy.

On the whole though, the pros outweighs the cons, and one of my favorite pros:

Plenty of second hand book stores with with reasonable prices and good selections.

T

[tolstoy]

"One of my biggest gripes about Chiangmai is the lack of a large, well-stocked public library. On the scale of typical government expenditures, it would cost a minuscule amount and the positive returns to society are incalculable. Granted, if there were one, it would be stocked mostly with Thai language books."

Do you live in the same city that I do?

I know of several public libraries that you can get a card for. As you said most are Thai books. CMU has a good selection of English books and magazines though.

[ludditeman]

I know of several public libraries that you can get a card for. As you said most are Thai books. CMU has a good selection of English books and magazines though.

And suggesting more libraries are built, when the west is dismantling them, is odd.

E-readers and the Internet, have given everyone the widest choice in reading materials ever to exist.

Edited February 26, 2012 by ludditeman

[MESmith]

E-readers and the Internet, have given everyone the widest choice in reading materials ever to exist.

Not exactly living up to your TV id, Ludditeman?

Edited February 26, 2012 by MESmith

[ludditeman]

E-readers and the Internet, have given everyone the widest choice in reading materials ever to exist.

Not exactly living up to your TV id, Ludditeman?

VV Not all machines should be wrecked VV

Edited February 26, 2012 by ludditeman

[Thakkar]

"One of my biggest gripes about Chiangmai is the lack of a large, well-stocked public library. On the scale of typical government expenditures, it would cost a minuscule amount and the positive returns to society are incalculable. Granted, if there were one, it would be stocked mostly with Thai language books."

Do you live in the same city that I do?

I know of several public libraries that you can get a card for. As you said most are Thai books. CMU has a good selection of English books and magazines though.

I know of the CMU library and I quite like it, but its hardly world class. There's one at Payap, and its even less impressive, but I haven't been there for years, so it could be better now. I'd really be interested to know where else? Thanks.

While I do read a lot on my iPad now, I do like the atmosphere of a library.

T

Edited February 26, 2012 by Thakkar

[elektrified]

There is a public library on Huay Kaew on the corner where if you turn left you are heading towards Santitam and if you look to the right there is C.M. Ram. Was just there the other day. Small place...

[KNJ]

Plenty of Pro’s who are Cons

Lots of HHH’s s chasing someone called “On”

Investment opportunities for You

Your wife/GF will know quite a few

Your partner can look a real peach,

3 kids in a family one of each

A massage or haircut you may,

Both come with a beer and BJ

Nightlife and lowlife’s all leading the highlife

Whatever, Short time, GF or wife

Your UK pension

Not compensated for inflation.

Sticks, knives and gun

A paradise city in the sun

The helpful and friendly police that,

Will help you as long as you have Baht

A car with a driver, tuk tuk, or MC all still a pain

The traffic will drive you insane

A maid who is driver, cook caddie and many other

At night she becomes your lover

[Thakkar]

In the land of meibenrais

Through rosy tints one spies

Castles in the air

Maidens true and fair

The end of all despair

And rainbows everywhere

If only I were there

If only I were there

In the land of meibenrais

For those with open eyes

With will to do and dare

And funds enough to spare

Life is, I declare

A plate of warm eclair

Served with savoir-faire

Neophytes be aware.

[Thakkar]

There is a public library on Huay Kaew on the corner where if you turn left you are heading towards Santitam and if you look to the right there is C.M. Ram. Was just there the other day. Small place...

I was there some years ago and it saddened me. It's a pathetic little place and I felt sorry for the kids there. A lot of the books there looked like they were donated or picked from trash cans. There was a tattered old book on MS-DOS. There weren't many books, but that just reminded me of Woody Allen's lament on a restaurant: the food was awful, and the portions were too small.

It's only redeeming value is its prime location. They could sell the property and build a better equipped facility elsewhere.

[udonguy]

cons

the toilets in Kad Suan Kaew

90 day reporting

no Sunday Times

pros

The toilets in Index

sex

mostly friendly

you want it? can pay for it? have it!