The Thai Dream Falling Apart.

[yoslim]

It's so easy not to fail, just spend less than your income... if it means being a cheap charlie so be it

[jpinx]

greener grass and all that.......

[MAJIC]

Let's look on the bright side for a change. Those that have to go back home for whatever reason (usually they are broke,and can't sustain their lifestyle in Thailand) can at least say that they had a few years in the Sun,and had a memorable extended holiday,something their counterparts,who do not have the courage to at least try out another Country,will probably never have such a long term, good time.

And then there are those that should not be in Thailand,through old age and ill health,a lot of returnees are doing themselves a favour,by getting out at the right time. Back in their own Countries they will not need to worry about: ill health,and who will look after them in old age,becoming destitute,and having a reduced lifestyle,they will be with their own kind,and understand the system,which is far different system than Thailand has to offer.

So not altogether a failure,rather a good,sensible move,and the alternatives are pretty grim,judging by the number of Farang Suicides.

Life is,and always has been a mixture of winners and losers,lucky or unlucky,or a mixture of both.

There but for the grace of................................

[pigeonjake]

i must be one of the lucky ones,

but i will say i make my own luck, i still go back to the uk and all over the world for that matter working,

yes i still like to make money, but to be honest i was home in thailand for over 9 months when i had a fall in africa and was unable to work, and i was so glad to go on a 8 week job, because i miss the craic with the lads on site,

ive worked out of a suitcase contracting all my life, and im on the internet looking for work, luck is what you want to put into it, yes you could win the lotto,

ive been offerd work in singapore, bangkok, there is work there, but some people just want the job to fall into there lap,

ive never been to lucky, ive made my luck, finding good very well paid jobs,

and as for going back to the uk or anyother country, if you paid asll your dues in that country they should take care of you,

good luck to everyone,

jake

[jacktrip]

went to the bus bar, the bartender kept complaing about his bad back, my buddy suggested he try a thai massage and we both wished him well getting that worked out (hopefully before this weekend).

[meatballs]

Depends on how determined you are to stay here. You can make it here if you WANT to.

I'm 31 and I've lived here in South East Asia and Thailand for 4 years. Came on a one way plane ticket to Hong Kong with some credit cards and that's it.

I'm prepared to last 50 years here.

[Beetlejuice]

I've met heaps of guys who came here with a load of money, spent it on a big house (5-10Mbht) in someone else's name.

(or a business in someone else's name)

Then either lived in misery with a woman who doesn't like them very much or returned to their home country.

What were they thinking?

I could live the rest of my life on 10Mbht.

Agreed and I believe luck has nothing to do with it. It`s all down to common sense, common sense and even more common sense. That`s the key.

In my opinion, unless you have a guaranteed consistent lifetime income, such as a pension or a reasonable amount of savings and able to live off the interest, than my advice is, don`t even consider giving everything up in the homeland and moving lock, stock and barrel to Thailand.

Our tommo also makes another very good point, why do some ex-pats leave themselves totally vulnerable by placing too much trust on other people in the hope that they wont be swindled and cheated?

The golden rules for a successful and stress free lifestyle in Thailand:

Don’t rely on finding long term permanent work or starting a business in Thailand as your main or only income. If you do than try not to tread on the Thais turf as a competitor as this may cause conflicts.

Plan well and ensure you are financially secure for the remainder of your life or at least have something definite in the pipeline.

Learn to budget yourself and don`t make commitments or go over what you can`t afford.

Keep in charge and the upper hand of your assets at all times, do not place yourself at risk on trust and gentlemen’s agreements, even if the girl’s the best shag you’ve ever had and has the appearance of a Park Lane fashion model.

Avoid becoming involved with the wrong types of people, such as criminals, law breakers, Jack the lads and gold digging women.

Avoid having disputes, remembering that we are foreigners here with limited, or if any, statutory rights. Try and adapt to Thai customs, except the native populations for what they are and lose that Western aggression.

Don’t expect the same quality of services and efficiencies we take for granted in the West. Have patience, tolerance and lower your expectations.

Keep a low profile, keep your head down and abide by the laws of Thailand at all times. Play everything by the book.

And there you have it, happiness and success on a plate. Break the golden rules at your peril.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[Beetlejuice]

Depends on how determined you are to stay here. You can make it here if you WANT to.

I'm 31 and I've lived here in South East Asia and Thailand for 4 years. Came on a one way plane ticket to Hong Kong with some credit cards and that's it.

I'm prepared to last 50 years here.

Are you sure?

[mjj]

I'm going with luck on this one. So many of my life changing moments have been down to luck or chance. You can plan all you like and sure you can get better odds for yourself by planning and using your noodle, but if those bad chance meetings or bad timings are with you, nothing is going to stop you going down the sh***er.

As for the UK helping out its ex-expats? Why not? My guess is that they have paid into the system for many years previously. And regardless of the financial aspect of how much they have put in, thats what makes Britain Great. I am by far one of Great Britains biggest fans, but I can recognise that the free health system and the benefit system are truly a sign of a civilised nation. It's just unfortunate that so many abuse it.

[thelongshoot]

Its a constant worry for me. I have lived in Thailand for 9 years. I came here with around 2 million baht at age 30, just to have a crack and then go home. Two years later, broke, I couldnt face the prospect of going back and got a job through a friend working on-line for a small firm back in England. It paid around 100K a month but some months I got severely messed around and only recieved half. Sometimes I would have to wait two months to get paid and then it would come in drips.

In my 5th year the job eventualy imploded and I was left with no option other than to replicate the job I was doing for myself. So I set up on my own. Again, I was broke for the first 6 months or so but gradualy started picking up more customers and after a couple years, I was flying. Im into my 4th year at this now and business is great.

My concern is that my business has a shelf life. I would be suprised if 5 years from now I am still doing this as the technology is becoming obsolete and will not be replaced by anything that I can jump on. I am earning well now, but its a constant worry for me that possibly 5 years from now, in my mid 40's, I could very possibly be without any form of income and no revenue stream from England.

Thats a sobering thought. When I first came here at aged 30, I could have gone back after a couple of years and started again no problem. Could I do that at 45? Very unlikely. How to you embark on a new career at 45 after living in Thailand for 15 years? Its the stuff that breakdowns are made of....

I need to get my act together and start saving. I earn easily enough money to save at least 150K a month but I am so useless with money.... It burns a hole in my pocket. I cant have a night out without spending less than 10 to 15K and whilst I should be buying new clothes at Robinsons, I but everything at Hugo Boss. Its iresponsible and sloppy but I cant seem to snap out of it and be more responsible.

I need to though. otherwise there is a very strong chance that I will be in my mid 40's, broke, staring at wardrobes full of Boss clothes, selling my bikes and car and pondering a new career at one tenth of my usual income....

[simple1]

OP's post as far as I can tell is just another lame victory dance. We gets these every single day on Thai Visa in the form of:

"I don't know why other farang don't love Thailand as much as me?"

"I dont know why other farang don't speak Thai fluently like I do"

"I don't know why other farang married a bg instead of a Big C employee, aka "Good Girl" like I did"

"I don't know why other farang retired early instead of waiting to be as old as I am"

I don't know why (insert bad/negative/detrimental action/trait/characteristic) and juxtapose it with the noble trait of the person patting himself on the back for his amazing achievement of moving to a third world country and not losing the plot. huge life achievement.

Partly wrong, because that would be gloating and showing no emphaty. And that is not the case with me, as I wrote in my OP, I honestly feel sorry for the guys, who for different reasons don't make it here. Yes it makes me feel privilliged, that I have a good life here, and not because someone else have failed, Just like when watching TV from Sudan, Iraq or Somalia, makes me appriciate my own small life.

As for the homecountrys obligation, I agree with the posters saying that there is morally no such thing, legally might be another matter. I would rather beg in the streets here, than go "home" and ask for help.

What drives legislation? some legislation is driven by morality/compassion; child labour laws quickly come to mind. However, if shit happened, you wouldn't last very long begging in the streets of Thailand before being reported by a falang or Thai, picked up and deported back to your home country.

[cheeryble]

the answer to the question ,on the bottom line, there is no responsibilty from the home country , legal or moral ,and imo rightly so.

I have no idea why anyone would write this sort of nasty stuff, you must really hate your fellow countrymen.

In reality,

If your home country has a welfare system, you are entitled to return and use that welfare system.

Same as any other citizen of that country, and quite rightly so IMHO.

Wow Tommo I find myself agreeing with you amazing!

A safety net is something we have decided is a sign of civilisation which we can afford.

How lucky we are.....

[bangkokburning]

I am surprised at the analysis, most of it is quite good.

Most guys are done in by:

Marriage to the wrong person

Bad business judgement

Overspending

Moving overseas, but keeping home standards.

*Lack of knowledge of understanding about Thailand.

Lack of planning

Bad investments (abroad)

Declining investments (abroad, poor economy)

[cheeryble]

I often remember the marvellous David Hume setting out for France resolved

"to make a very rigid frugality supply my deficiency of fortune, to maintain unimpaired my independency, and to regard every object as contemptible, except the improvement of my talents in literature."

The point being that a frugal life can be as good or better than a so called rich one.

It's the internals happening in your mind that make you truly rich, and these you can improve by your reaction no matter what's happening to you externally.

[KNJ]

benefits on returning home, well as a Brtish citizen everyone is entitled.

However cost of repatriation definetly NO why would the government pay that, it would end with people buying one way tickets, spending all there money and then asking the embassey for a ticket home.

[Banzai99]

Depends on how determined you are to stay here. You can make it here if you WANT to.

I'm 31 and I've lived here in South East Asia and Thailand for 4 years. Came on a one way plane ticket to Hong Kong with some credit cards and that's it.

I'm prepared to last 50 years here.

Are you sure?

Well spotted,

Meatballs also claims to have semi retired in Thailand at the age of 28, and he had been here for 5 years making him 33, now he claims to be 31.

[StreetCowboy]

Depends on how determined you are to stay here. You can make it here if you WANT to.

I'm 31 and I've lived here in South East Asia and Thailand for 4 years. Came on a one way plane ticket to Hong Kong with some credit cards and that's it.

I'm prepared to last 50 years here.

Are you sure?

http://www.thaivisa....t-mistake-ever/

Well spotted,

Meatballs also claims to have semi retired in Thailand at the age of 28, and he had been here for 5 years making him 33, now he claims to be 31.

At that rate it could be a lot longer than 50 years... Sounds a bit Dorian Gray to me...

SC

[bangkokburning]

Benefits of returning home for American citizens:

[Berkshire]

Anyone who fails in Thailand would probably have failed at home anyway.

and would have had less fun along the way probably

But is it better to have loved and lost it, than to never have loved at all? I think the former would really suck. I'd prefer never to have come to Thailand at all than coming and then being forced to leave involuntarily.

[trainman34014]

Its a constant worry for me. I have lived in Thailand for 9 years. I came here with around 2 million baht at age 30, just to have a crack and then go home. Two years later, broke, I couldnt face the prospect of going back and got a job through a friend working on-line for a small firm back in England. It paid around 100K a month but some months I got severely messed around and only recieved half. Sometimes I would have to wait two months to get paid and then it would come in drips.

In my 5th year the job eventualy imploded and I was left with no option other than to replicate the job I was doing for myself. So I set up on my own. Again, I was broke for the first 6 months or so but gradualy started picking up more customers and after a couple years, I was flying. Im into my 4th year at this now and business is great.

My concern is that my business has a shelf life. I would be suprised if 5 years from now I am still doing this as the technology is becoming obsolete and will not be replaced by anything that I can jump on. I am earning well now, but its a constant worry for me that possibly 5 years from now, in my mid 40's, I could very possibly be without any form of income and no revenue stream from England.

Thats a sobering thought. When I first came here at aged 30, I could have gone back after a couple of years and started again no problem. Could I do that at 45? Very unlikely. How to you embark on a new career at 45 after living in Thailand for 15 years? Its the stuff that breakdowns are made of....

I need to get my act together and start saving. I earn easily enough money to save at least 150K a month but I am so useless with money.... It burns a hole in my pocket. I cant have a night out without spending less than 10 to 15K and whilst I should be buying new clothes at Robinsons, I but everything at Hugo Boss. Its iresponsible and sloppy but I cant seem to snap out of it and be more responsible.

I need to though. otherwise there is a very strong chance that I will be in my mid 40's, broke, staring at wardrobes full of Boss clothes, selling my bikes and car and pondering a new career at one tenth of my usual income....

Mid-Life crisis springs to mind. Budgeting is easy, stop trying to live like a High So when you're not one ! As someone else has already said, live well within your budget and if that means being a cheap charlie then so be it. Your future depends on you having enough common sense to build one. You need to start saving big time right now because you will have to have enough dosh later for retirement visa, health protection etc etc. It will be too late in 15 years time when your arse is hanging out of your grubby shorts as you board the plane back 'home' .

[pigeonjake]

you can buy hugo boss cheap here,,

have a look in mikes shoping mall,

[hotandhumid]

Luck plays a huge part. That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject.

[yermanee]

Luck plays a huge part. That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject.

No it's not ! It's all about the choices you make, and willingness to work.

Yermanee

[StreetCowboy]

Luck plays a huge part. That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject.

No it's not ! It's all about the choices you make, and willingness to work.

Yermanee

He should know how much he can be bothered to say on the subject. I don't see any point in arguing - except to spite him, and prove him wrong, should he respond.

SC

[hotandhumid]

Luck plays a huge part. That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject.

No it's not ! It's all about the choices you make, and willingness to work.

Yermanee

He should know how much he can be bothered to say on the subject. I don't see any point in arguing - except to spite him, and prove him wrong, should he respond.

SC

Rubbish. I know many a person here who have done well for themselves by just getting that break or being in the right place at the right time. Of course choices and work come into it too, but so does luck.

[StreetCowboy]

Luck plays a huge part. That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject.

No it's not ! It's all about the choices you make, and willingness to work.

Yermanee

He should know how much he can be bothered to say on the subject. I don't see any point in arguing - except to spite him, and prove him wrong, should he respond.

SC

Rubbish. I know many a person here who have done well for themselves by just getting that break or being in the right place at the right time. Of course choices and work come into it too, but so does luck.

I'm surprised, after being so clear in your previous post (That'sall I can be bothered to say on the subject), that you've gone to the effort to reiterate the point so vociferously.

I feel a little foolish, having gone out on a limb to support your initial claim that you were going to say no more on the matter. Just goes to highlight the importance of caution when interpreting what one reads on the internet, I suppose.

SC

[GuestHouse]

Absolutely agree, luck plays a huge part in anyone's sucess (not always in their failure).

The argument "I succeeded by my own hard work/talent" is an arrogant denial of the fact that no matter how hard you work, no matter how talented you are, you still need a break for your hard work and talents to pay off.

Either you have had the good luck to be born into the right circle, you had the good luck to stumble into the right situation or someone gave you a break.

This does not in anyway detract from hard work and talent, but without a break hard work and talent will go nowhere ( or are as likely to be usurped by someone taking advantage of others).

This is as true anywhere in the world as it is in Thailand and is precisely why I believe one of the best things you can do for anyone is give them a chance at having a go in life.

Edited September 11, 2012 by GuestHouse

[TommoPhysicist]

This does not in anyway detract from hard work and tallent, but without a break hard work and tallent will go nowhere ( or are as likely to be usurped by someone taking advantage of others).

Hard work is for suckers, I've avoided it all my life and still managed to make money.

[eeeya]

Probably on the back of the hard workers around you:p

Sent from my HTC One X using Thaivisa Connect App

[StreetCowboy]

Probably on the back of the hard workers around you:p

Sent from my HTC One X using Thaivisa Connect App

I've often found that hard work is the easiest option available. It's certainly easier to work harder than smarter (in my case, at least...)

SC