How Tough It Can Be To Go Back Home

[BigJohnnyBKK]

It's ironic that in LOS, Macs is more expensive than a meal in a Thai restaurant!

How is that ironic? All the western fast food places are expensive for Thais, that only the wealthy say 20% would consider paying for themselves.

Anywhere in the world the local food is always cheaper than exotic imported foreign food.

[bkksale23]

Go to one of those sites where people swap their homes for holidays. If you have a nice home here, there are plenty of people in the UK that would like to come here on holiday without paying for accomodation. Win Win situation - screw the greedy overpriced hotels

[crazydrummerpauly]

Op is talking <deleted>. If he sends me a PM I can direct him to a place he can get a room for £150 a week.

Why on earth you'd think i would PM anyone who starts a post with such an offensive comment is beyond me.

My apologies.

No probs - actually, even if it was 'b-----ks', i'm glad i posted the topic because it led to really practical links to Gumtree and RoomForTravellers, which as you say does mean that a furnished place with all mod cons and telecoms included can be got for even less than £150 a week - much less in some areas. This has opened up genuinely hopeful avenues for me, and that practical input to a problem, is a big part of the value of TV for me. Cheers.

[farang000999]

the only reason to leave thailand is if you are making the sacrifice to raise a child in the west under the notion that they will be better off, or perhaps, if you win a large lottery. it really takes substantially more money to live the same life style in the West and then it begs the question why you would not still want to live in Thailand and pass down the extra savings. when people make comparisons they will often compare bangkok to a suburban us city. compare bkk to nyc or la...

oh hey, for 10m baht you can get this nice 1100ft2 shack falling apart in one of the worst areas for gang violence! LA baby!

[Nignoy]

I think everyone should be made aware of a little trick played by Travel lodges in surrey and hampshire,coming from aus we booked and paid for accomodation with travel lodge 6 weeks in advance, on their book early 29 pounds a night scheme, first week all was well, move on to booked accomodation at travel lodge guildford, shock horror!! our paid bookings were invalid because of Ascot week starting the following day, the room prices were quadrupled which was an added 500pounds to our hotel bill for the week, no amount of reasoning would be listened to, it seems the motels are franchised and individual motels are allowed to change bookings and increase prices as they deem fit!!nearest travel lodge vacancy at our price was in exeter, which is really good when you are attending a conference in Godalming!!As compensation we were offered 2 free nights at atravel lodge in warrington,who the fxxx wants to visit warrington!!

[simon43]

I agree with the OP about the price of hotels in the UK. Last time I went back to visit (bout 5 years ago), I was so shocked at the price of the hotels that I slept in my hire-car!

F**king cold though - middle of winter

[crazydrummerpauly]

I think everyone should be made aware of a little trick played by Travel lodges in surrey and hampshire,coming from aus we booked and paid for accomodation with travel lodge 6 weeks in advance, on their book early 29 pounds a night scheme, first week all was well, move on to booked accomodation at travel lodge guildford, shock horror!! our paid bookings were invalid because of Ascot week starting the following day, the room prices were quadrupled which was an added 500pounds to our hotel bill for the week, no amount of reasoning would be listened to, it seems the motels are franchised and individual motels are allowed to change bookings and increase prices as they deem fit!!nearest travel lodge vacancy at our price was in exeter, which is really good when you are attending a conference in Godalming!!As compensation we were offered 2 free nights at atravel lodge in warrington,who the fxxx wants to visit warrington!!

Wooah - tricky gits. I've stayed in the Godalming 'premier inn' - converted Victorian house - all very pretty but no radiator in the big bathroom so bloody freezing for the 6+ months of the brit winter ! Just a note to warn folks about the online booking for TravelLodge - using a Visa card, i was processed through to the 'Verified by Visa' page, but it never loaded - got fed up waiting - so i deleted the page, opened a new browser and booked using a different card - then got 2 emails telling me i had 2 rooms booked at the same place, same night. The first booking had gone through without the verification stage. I Googled this and found hundreds of similar stories. It took a phone call and some emails to get a refund for one of the bookings. If a booking seems to have failed online - my advice, just wait a while to see if it actually went through ! Your story of the £29 scheme being trashed to suit them - is that a breach of contract or is it covered somewhere deep in their small print ?

[crazydrummerpauly]

It's ironic that in LOS, Macs is more expensive than a meal in a Thai restaurant!

How is that ironic? All the western fast food places are expensive for Thais, that only the wealthy say 20% would consider paying for themselves.

Anywhere in the world the local food is always cheaper than exotic imported foreign food.

I guess thaibeachlovers was thinking the price differential is ironic if one views Big Mac, Colonel K., Pizza Express and so on, as 'Junk Food' - i.e., inferior to local Thai food.

[exeter]

Once you have moved and got used to the way of the World in Thailand its a terrific shock to go home and see what the cost of things are, even makes you think about going back at all!

I am lucky I still have a place in the UK but if I had to look at a Hotel, I would try for a monthly rate and knock them down, there is no free money here, they should be glad of having one room full for a month, how they are surviving I dont know but just remember they have fixed costs whether you stay there or not, so I think you will have the whip hand, it will depend how flexible the local management can be, good luck.

Would I consider moving back permanently? No way, far to expensive, you can do virtually nothing without cost and taxes interferring, better off to stay in Thailand, I know it has some irritating aspects, the rubbish dumping and the driving but somehow I think I will learn to live with those.

Edited May 27, 2012 by exeter

[seasia]

I can understand the OP`s points.

I`m heading back to the UK for a short visit later this year and although I`ll likely be staying with friends, might also stay in a hotel or 2.

I`ve not yet looked all that closely but the prices do( naturally I guess) seem high compared to what is obtainable here in Thailand.

[crazydrummerpauly]

I can understand the OP`s points.

I`m heading back to the UK for a short visit later this year and although I`ll likely be staying with friends, might also stay in a hotel or 2.

I`ve not yet looked all that closely but the prices do( naturally I guess) seem high compared to what is obtainable here in Thailand.

Most people know this, but just in case you've not come across it - you can sometimes book room at TravelLodge for only £29 a night if you can do the booking way ahead - at least 2 or 3 months. The other option is to search Gumtree and RoomsForTravellers for short-term lets in other peoples' flats or houses. I'm certainly looking at those options. Good luck!

[robblok]

After 15 years in Thailand, a great ex-wife, a daughter, a cat, good friends, a lovely house in bangkok, and another at the beach --my only question is: where exactly is home?

For me home is here, when i went back last time to my parents it did not feel like home anymore.

[Nignoy]

I can understand the OP`s points.

I`m heading back to the UK for a short visit later this year and although I`ll likely be staying with friends, might also stay in a hotel or 2.

I`ve not yet looked all that closely but the prices do( naturally I guess) seem high compared to what is obtainable here in Thailand.

Most people know this, but just in case you've not come across it - you can sometimes book room at TravelLodge for only £29 a night if you can do the booking way ahead - at least 2 or 3 months. The other option is to search Gumtree and RoomsForTravellers for short-term lets in other peoples' flats or houses. I'm certainly looking at those options. Good luck!

asin my previous thread, we booked and paid in advance,on travel lodges 29 quid a night deal, on arrival to find the confirmation in letter not email was cancelled, but the same rooms were offered to us at quadruple the price,we are still waiting for travel lodge guildford to reimburse us!!their head office did offer us 2 free nights in warrington, how is the overseas visitor supposed to book in advance confidently??its even more difficult than booking an Automatic car with Sixt Carhire!!

[alanrobson]

I was married to a western woman in Thailand, met there, married there, together 10 years then it ended (she is still there an cannot leave.....), married a Thai after that. I miss having a relationship with a western woman. My Thai is advanced but its the language and culturally points where we are 100% equal

[thaibeachlovers]

It's ironic that in LOS, Macs is more expensive than a meal in a Thai restaurant!

How is that ironic? All the western fast food places are expensive for Thais, that only the wealthy say 20% would consider paying for themselves.

Anywhere in the world the local food is always cheaper than exotic imported foreign food.

It's ironic because in London i would eat at Macs because it was the cheapest available "restaurant" food. While here, it is more expensive than a Thai restaurant, even for western food.

NB Macs is no more "local" in London than it is here.

[thaibeachlovers]

It's ironic that in LOS, Macs is more expensive than a meal in a Thai restaurant!

How is that ironic? All the western fast food places are expensive for Thais, that only the wealthy say 20% would consider paying for themselves.

Anywhere in the world the local food is always cheaper than exotic imported foreign food.

I guess thaibeachlovers was thinking the price differential is ironic if one views Big Mac, Colonel K., Pizza Express and so on, as 'Junk Food' - i.e., inferior to local Thai food.

That's certainly true, yet most Macs in Thailand are doing a roaring trade. Must be the snob appeal.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I guess thaibeachlovers was thinking the price differential is ironic if one views Big Mac, Colonel K., Pizza Express and so on, as 'Junk Food' - i.e., inferior to local Thai food.

That's certainly true, yet most Macs in Thailand are doing a roaring trade. Must be the snob appeal.

Well the times of my life I've eaten the healthiest have been when I've spent the absolute least on food.

Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, a little protein plenty of complex carbs all from the fresh market and cooked at home just the way I like it, very little from factories or restaurants.

My household is now seven and our budget for food is now up to B140 per day all up. Of course the Thais spend more than that on their snacks which they couldn't live without, but that's out of their salary/allowances so up to them, but the children are strong and healthy, in the top 90% percentile for their age and height by the CDC charts so I don't listen to their mum complaining they're not fat enough.

I let her buy them that kind of crap when she comes and visit, in that sense it's good that's only once in a blue moon. . .

[transam]

It's ironic that in LOS, Macs is more expensive than a meal in a Thai restaurant!

How is that ironic? All the western fast food places are expensive for Thais, that only the wealthy say 20% would consider paying for themselves.

Anywhere in the world the local food is always cheaper than exotic imported foreign food.

I guess thaibeachlovers was thinking the price differential is ironic if one views Big Mac, Colonel K., Pizza Express and so on, as 'Junk Food' - i.e., inferior to local Thai food.

That's certainly true, yet most Macs in Thailand are doing a roaring trade. Must be the snob appeal.

I'm a snob but noooooooooooo McD in Ubon.

[UbonOz]

There are plenty of last minute deals for holiday cottages all over the UK.

I book them every year for three/four adults, pay between £200-300 for seven nights, all inclusive.

Never been disappointed.

Do a Google search, there a loads of them.

[letitbe]

another how long is a piece of string post. WE go to UK about once a year for 1 month and do it as budget conscience as we can. Heres a rough breakdown of costs for 2 adults and 2 teenage kids:-

Flights first to BKK then to London round 150,000 baht ++

Car hire 1 month 40000 baht

Cottage hire for 3 weeks around 80000 baht if go off season and in country cheaper places

Hotel mostly Travel Lodge budget for 7 nights while travelling around 35,000 baht

Petrol we usually travel around 3,000 miles so around 15,000 baht

Food while self catering for 3 weeks around 60,000 baht ok high but we are on holiday wine etc

Eating out mostly cheaper pubs while on trips 1 per day around 50,000 baht

Trips to theme parks, madame tousards, longleat etc around 15 days trips 110,000 (have you been to a place like that recently)

Shopping since a lot of things are cheaper in UK at least quality one around 60,000 baht

BIts and pieces say 50 gbp a day (4 people) so around 35,000 baht

So a total of around 650,000 baht and thats doing it as cheaply as possible IMO no top hotels mostly 1-2 stars, no posh eating out simple pub meals, smallish car etc. To do it well these days I reckon at least 1 million baht.

[transam]

another how long is a piece of string post. WE go to UK about once a year for 1 month and do it as budget conscience as we can. Heres a rough breakdown of costs for 2 adults and 2 teenage kids:-

Flights first to BKK then to London round 150,000 baht ++

Car hire 1 month 40000 baht

Cottage hire for 3 weeks around 80000 baht if go off season and in country cheaper places

Hotel mostly Travel Lodge budget for 7 nights while travelling around 35,000 baht

Petrol we usually travel around 3,000 miles so around 15,000 baht

Food while self catering for 3 weeks around 60,000 baht ok high but we are on holiday wine etc

Eating out mostly cheaper pubs while on trips 1 per day around 50,000 baht

Trips to theme parks, madame tousards, longleat etc around 15 days trips 110,000 (have you been to a place like that recently)

Shopping since a lot of things are cheaper in UK at least quality one around 60,000 baht

BIts and pieces say 50 gbp a day (4 people) so around 35,000 baht

So a total of around 650,000 baht and thats doing it as cheaply as possible IMO no top hotels mostly 1-2 stars, no posh eating out simple pub meals, smallish car etc. To do it well these days I reckon at least 1 million baht.

[crazydrummerpauly]

another how long is a piece of string post. WE go to UK about once a year for 1 month and do it as budget conscience as we can. Heres a rough breakdown of costs for 2 adults and 2 teenage kids:-

Flights first to BKK then to London round 150,000 baht ++

Car hire 1 month 40000 baht

Cottage hire for 3 weeks around 80000 baht if go off season and in country cheaper places

Hotel mostly Travel Lodge budget for 7 nights while travelling around 35,000 baht

Petrol we usually travel around 3,000 miles so around 15,000 baht

Food while self catering for 3 weeks around 60,000 baht ok high but we are on holiday wine etc

Eating out mostly cheaper pubs while on trips 1 per day around 50,000 baht

Trips to theme parks, madame tousards, longleat etc around 15 days trips 110,000 (have you been to a place like that recently)

Shopping since a lot of things are cheaper in UK at least quality one around 60,000 baht

BIts and pieces say 50 gbp a day (4 people) so around 35,000 baht

So a total of around 650,000 baht and thats doing it as cheaply as possible IMO no top hotels mostly 1-2 stars, no posh eating out simple pub meals, smallish car etc. To do it well these days I reckon at least 1 million baht.

"To do it well these days I reckon at least 1 million baht" - £20,000 for One Month holiday ?! - can i be your 3rd teenage kid next time ?

[letitbe]

Op is talking <deleted>. If he sends me a PM I can direct him to a place he can get a room for £150 a week.

Op is talking <deleted>. If he sends me a PM I can direct him to a place he can get a room for £150 a week.

and I can show ones from a tenner to london for as little as 30 pounds to 10,000 a night so your comment is <deleted> Travel lodge are clean comfortable and if you book really early you can get nice rooms in

[yogi100]

Op is talking <deleted>. If he sends me a PM I can direct him to a place he can get a room for £150 a week.

Op is talking <deleted>. If he sends me a PM I can direct him to a place he can get a room for £150 a week.

and I can show ones from a tenner to london for as little as 30 pounds to 10,000 a night so your comment is <deleted> Travel lodge are clean comfortable and if you book really early you can get nice rooms in

The OP intends to be based in Cambridge but is is indeed possible to obtain lodgings in London for 150 quid a week or even less.

[impulse]

I've thought about 'going home' but there ain't no place to go to...I've been gone 25 years and have lost connection with all friends and family and it ain't no good to just appear and say: 'here I am!...' I have a comfortable arrangement now with the wife and her family in Thailand but would not like to burden them if a short term terminal illness was diagnosed...I'd just head back to 'the prairie that I know the best', the northwest coast of north america in a rented or purchased Ford Econoline van with a mattress in back and a sleeping bag and a Coleman cooker and lamp and an ice cooler...it's a big country around there and you can just pull off the road and sleep and relax with minimum hassles from the local cops...('I'm sorry to cause any trouble, officer but I'll be gone in the mornin'')

oh, come with me to tutsi's US northwest coast paradise...

If you substituted a small RV for the Econoline van (and the fact I can't drink), you just outlined my retirement plan. I went with the GMC van for a few years as a traveling salesman- staying in the van while enroute and in hotels when I arrived at my destination. On weekends, I'd head off to the nearest state park or National Park (did a lot of business near Yellowstone) It was great, except I just can't get going in the morning without a shower... hence the RV.

Sadly, the price of gasoline of late has been giving me pause to reconsider that plan.

Good times. Thanks for reminding me.

Edited June 3, 2012 by impulse

[ARISTIDE]

It sounds very sad and happy at the same time. This driving me to tears.

I've thought about 'going home' but there ain't no place to go to...I've been gone 25 years and have lost connection with all friends and family and it ain't no good to just appear and say: 'here I am!...' I have a comfortable arrangement now with the wife and her family in Thailand but would not like to burden them if a short term terminal illness was diagnosed...I'd just head back to 'the prairie that I know the best', the northwest coast of north america in a rented or purchased Ford Econoline van with a mattress in back and a sleeping bag and a Coleman cooker and lamp and an ice cooler...it's a big country around there and you can just pull off the road and sleep and relax with minimum hassles from the local cops...('I'm sorry to cause any trouble, officer but I'll be gone in the mornin'')

I was just on a business trip to NYC and a flop was $290 per night (paid by the company) near 96th and Broadway and ain't no way something like that would be sustainable...I'd just go to SF and get the van and the kit together and head up the coast...shit in the woods like a bear and stop at coastal university sports facilities for a quick shower...people do it all the time...and a decrepid old man in a baseball cap does not threaten anyone...

and then in the evenings listen to the local radio and whistle cowboy songs before turning in in the sleeping bag in the back of the van in a rubble of vodka bottles and empty baked bean cans...not a bad way to go out, I must admit...

oh, come with me to tutsi's US northwest coast paradise...

Edited June 3, 2012 by ARISTIDE

[GuestHouse]

I think part of the problem people are having with the idea of going back home is not the reality of things back there, but the demons in their own head.

I'm currently back in the UK enjoying ( and I mean thoroughly enjoying) my holiday here.

Te enjoyment starts before I've woken - sleeping with the windows open, fresh air, no mossies or kamoys to worry about, the only noise is the dawn chorus - which in itself is a joy to hear.

I pre-booked a VW Scriroco 2.0TDI bluemotion - £330 including insurance for 10 days - Fuel might be expensive but the this thing is doing twice as many miles to the gallon as any car I've driven in Thailand - And the driving! There's another pleasure. I haven't seen one case of anyone driving like a total tw@ ( something I see hourly on Thai roads).

Queenie's Jubilee weekend is in full swing, the flags, bunting, street parties and good old sessions down the pub are again something to be enjoyed, The community spirit we are told is long dead, is alive and up and about enjoying itself.

And of course as many celebrate Queenie;s jubilee others protest - politely, their protests accepted or ignored, politely.

The horrors of food shopping turned out to be nothing of the sort - The fridge, cupboards and bellies have been filled with good quality food for less than our weekly shop in Thailand (I know you eat leaves and chicken's feet cheaper in Thailand - but I thought it would be nice to enjoy some lamb, cheese, fresh baked breads, sans the chemicals and msg).

Radio 4. Needs no explanation.

The summer weather, long long evening (we had a party yesterday, the usual crowd in the kitchen but most sitting on rugs around the garden - wonderful).

So many good things to enjoy and nowhere near as expensive as you might fear.

[David006]

I've thought about 'going home' but there ain't no place to go to...I've been gone 25 years and have lost connection with all friends and family and it ain't no good to just appear and say: 'here I am!...' I have a comfortable arrangement now with the wife and her family in Thailand but would not like to burden them if a short term terminal illness was diagnosed...I'd just head back to 'the prairie that I know the best', the northwest coast of north america in a rented or purchased Ford Econoline van with a mattress in back and a sleeping bag and a Coleman cooker and lamp and an ice cooler...it's a big country around there and you can just pull off the road and sleep and relax with minimum hassles from the local cops...('I'm sorry to cause any trouble, officer but I'll be gone in the mornin'')

I was just on a business trip to NYC and a flop was $290 per night (paid by the company) near 96th and Broadway and ain't no way something like that would be sustainable...I'd just go to SF and get the van and the kit together and head up the coast...shit in the woods like a bear and stop at coastal university sports facilities for a quick shower...people do it all the time...and a decrepid old man in a baseball cap does not threaten anyone...

and then in the evenings listen to the local radio and whistle cowboy songs before turning in in the sleeping bag in the back of the van in a rubble of vodka bottles and empty baked bean cans...not a bad way to go out, I must admit...

oh, come with me to tutsi's US northwest coast paradise...

ooooh.... all lumpy throat...Canon beach, Tillamook,Sunset beach......fish and chips and a bottle of shitty red and a big sweater....lol

[Hostile17]

another how long is a piece of string post. WE go to UK about once a year for 1 month and do it as budget conscience as we can. Heres a rough breakdown of costs for 2 adults and 2 teenage kids:-

Flights first to BKK then to London round 150,000 baht ++

Car hire 1 month 40000 baht

Cottage hire for 3 weeks around 80000 baht if go off season and in country cheaper places

Hotel mostly Travel Lodge budget for 7 nights while travelling around 35,000 baht

Petrol we usually travel around 3,000 miles so around 15,000 baht

Food while self catering for 3 weeks around 60,000 baht ok high but we are on holiday wine etc

Eating out mostly cheaper pubs while on trips 1 per day around 50,000 baht

Trips to theme parks, madame tousards, longleat etc around 15 days trips 110,000 (have you been to a place like that recently)

Shopping since a lot of things are cheaper in UK at least quality one around 60,000 baht

BIts and pieces say 50 gbp a day (4 people) so around 35,000 baht

So a total of around 650,000 baht and thats doing it as cheaply as possible IMO no top hotels mostly 1-2 stars, no posh eating out simple pub meals, smallish car etc. To do it well these days I reckon at least 1 million baht.

Have you considered that its just the UK that is a shitty country?

I could do this in canada for less than half what you are paying. Hell i found tickets to canada from phuket which is quite further than the UK for 100k~. thats for 2 adults and 2 kids.

U-HAULT rents moving vans at 500baht per day. You can easly find cheaper cars.

cottage for hire.. Yeah a condo or bungallow wfor a month is about 30k-50k, just like it would cost in phuket or other tourist destionations in thailand for something decently nice and very short term.

Hotel. You can find motels on the side of highways for 500baht a night, they're usualy just as clean unless you are from a ghetto, hostels in the west are often as clean as 3-4star hotels in thailand and have really cheap prices. Beds and breakfasts are quite cheap as well.

Eating out in pubs? in canada the equivalent of pub for 4 would be around 15-25$ per day so id say 30k baht

Theme parks/waterparks have non-stop promotions if you look a bit, no way its over 25-30k baht for a lot of days spent there

Shopping? Cheaper in canada than thailand. My gf keeps trying to import stuff from canada to sell at 200% markup whicch is still cheaper than its sold in thailand. We have so many 30baht high quality tshirts from old navy for the kids.

bits and pieces for 4 people 1k per month? We spend a lot and we never spent more than 15k baht on small extras.

Definataly you're either a bad planner or your country is shit. Of course its gonna be more expensive to travail a western country than thailand because in thailand travelling means going in the middle of nowhere to see the same stuff you've seen in the previous city. But a short visit to a major western town isnt suposed to be more expensive than normal city life in thailand unless you live in those crazy places like NYC

[Hostile17]

or as guesthouse just explained, its not the uk that sucks but the people running away from it.