Money Makes The World Go Round.

[Gary A]

I have lived in California, Florida and was born and raised in Ohio. I'm not wealthy by any means but I could easily move back to the US. In fact my mother is 91 years old and lives by herself in a big old house. My mother is really afraid to go live in a nursing home and would love to have us go live with her. Unfortunately Ohio is one of the last places I would want to live. I have talked it over with my wife and she would go but she would much rather stay here.

To answer the question, I can't think of anyplace I would rather be than right here. The weather has a lot to do with it. I can't stand cold weather. The diversity of the country is also an asset. Beautiful beaches and scenic mountains. In certain areas you can have both the beaches and the mountains. We live in the upcountry scenic mountain area. If we were not so entrenched here, I think Prachuap Kiri Khan is one of the most beautiful places in Thailand.

[farang000999]

<snip> because they were lucky enough to have not been born in Thailand.

Many a Thai might disagree with that statement ...

(full quote directly above this posting)

of course, but is arbitrary. the reasons people list why they love Thailand, like Gary did so beautifully above, seem to be more beneficial for those of retirement age than a growing and learning child.

[Shameless]

- As I live here, I have always invested some money here. Having ignored the mantra of don't invest in Thailand blah blah blah...

Correct, "a good friend of mine once said don't invest in Thailand yawn" only applies if your thick, plenty of them here so it gets thrown around willy nilly amongst the thickos.

[David48]

<snip> However, there are also those who simply visited as tourists and have fallen in love with the country or those seeking the adventure of living in (and experiencing) a different country (and culture).

Wot he said ...

.

[ExpatJ]

Mjj

You need to understand the rich expats in Thailand perspective - those with 200,000- 500,000 baht per month in disposable income (and there are plenty) in Bangkok live in a different world to yours- double pricing ? doesn't matter . Beer and dinner out prices creeping up? doesn't matter. Crime/corruption? These people will have the relevant contacts in Thailand to easily over come any messy legal problems. Poor service? Not for them- they stay in the nicest hotel resorts, eat at 5 star and high end restaurants, shop in emporium. Stuck in Traffic? Their car and driver will drop/pick them at various BTS stops and drive home himself taking hour (s) stuck in traffic if necessary etc etc. Taxi problems? What's a taxi.

Oh and domestic service staff- maids, driver etc WAY cheaper in Thailand compared to US/ Aus etc.

And being a rich expat here - they mingle and socialize with country's top CEOs, Politicians, celebs in a way that wouldn't happen on the same income back in home country , which is kind of fun i guess.

Its a different world they live in in Bangkok to yours.

Edited July 24, 2012 by ExpatJ

[David48]

... my mother is 91 years old and lives by herself in a big old house. My mother is really afraid to go live in a nursing home ...

Just a brief aside from the OP.

Gary A, I am in a similar boat in so much that my 91 year old Uncle has finally been convinced to make the transference into an Aged Care Facility.

He has no kids and his wife 'went up' some 5 years ago.

A series of falls finally convinced him it was time.

For them, it's a one way street ... a foot in the grave so to say and there is no truning back for them.

.

[Gary A]

... my mother is 91 years old and lives by herself in a big old house. My mother is really afraid to go live in a nursing home ...

Just a brief aside from the OP.

Gary A, I am in a similar boat in so much that my 91 year old Uncle has finally been convinced to make the transference into an Aged Care Facility.

He has no kids and his wife 'went up' some 5 years ago.

A series of falls finally convinced him it was time.

For them, it's a one way street ... a foot in the grave so to say and there is no truning back for them.

.

I'm fortunate to have a brother and a sister who live near her and they often look in on her. My brother is retired so he has the time. My sister recently retired so that helps too. I do feel guilty leaving the burden on them but I don't want to leave Thailand.

ADDED - My father had Alzheimers and died in a nursing home from pneumonia a little over a year ago.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Gary A

[mjj]

I believe that if the OP had some insight, he would discover that there are many, many farang in Thailand that have net income much higher than 200K baht per month. Case in point, Marc Faber, who is a Swiss investor, author and a regular contributor to many international financial TV shows and also has a net worth of over $100,000,000 usd, lives in Chiang Mai.

At no point in my op was I berating anyone for living here, I was just asking why live here with a large income. The Internet forum is used for sharing views and I am asking for alternative viewpoints. If YOU had some insight you would see that these boards have many topics pointing out Thailands flaws, therefore if someone can live in a country with less flaws, why don't they. All innocent, but if you wish to add your twist to my op to put me down in some way, carry on, it has more of a reflection on you than it does me.

Flaws of the UK are worse than Thailand IMO.

America has never floated my boat. Nice to visit couldn't see myself living there.

Europe? Nope.

Does your OP mean that you are too poor to live in the West? That's why you are here, because unlike those "big spenders" you don't have the choice? That's what your post implies.

Sort of correct.

Can I live in the West and afford a new car, house with a pool, 2-3 holidays per year and save a nice sum every month? No.

Can I do that here? Yes.

Some people are suggesting 500,000b per month. If that was me I personally would live somewhere else. If money was so abundant that it didn't matter I would not live here. As I've said before, I like Thailand, I just don't think it is the greatest country in the world. Is that what the rich expats here think, this is the greatest country in the world?

Edited July 24, 2012 by mjj

[Heng]

To push the cliche button - money doesn't buy you happiness.

To push one my own favorites....

Money doesn't buy happiness.... but it does buy freedom. Try to have happiness without freedom. Freedom from employers, freedom from mortgages, freedom from having to be concerned about the basic costs of living, freedom from having to worry (as much) about the next generation...

[Heng]

Oh and domestic service staff- maids, driver etc WAY cheaper in Thailand compared to US/ Aus etc.

That's a big one. 4-5 household staff in the west would take up most your 500k disposable income 'budget' in itself, and they'd STILL likely be illegals, just like here.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Heng