40K A Month Isn't Enough Anymore

[David48]

In reference to myself and my partner ...

I don't know if his bird owns or works on a farm.

I don't know if he lives here or in Thailand.

I don't know if he's had kids with her

<snip>

Thanks HardenedSoul ... apology accepted ...

Happy to buy you a beer one day when I am in Bangkok and we can continue our discussions there and our two lovelies can have a wee chat and discuss our (yours and mine) relative short-comings.

.

Edited April 19, 2013 by David48

[Wossnext]

ha ha....knew this thread would turn into 'look how much money I spunk up the wall every month'

the joys on the internet eh....you can be anything you want to be when posting

you are so right, about being anything you want to be on the internet 555! Most of these wanna be high flyers are just on here baiting everyone.

[Spaniel]

I track my expences monthly so it was fairly easy to come up with my yearly exp for 2012 and then my monthly costs. This figure includes everything, insurance (auto/health) for wife and myself, home in Bkk and condo in Pattaya, doctor bills, several trips per year around Thailand, food etc. House, condo and cars all paid for. Total expenses for 2012, B854,000 or B71,000 per month. We're not big spenders but I would find it difficult to live here on B40,000 per month. Wife and I are both non-drinkers.

Do you suggest that we consider the cost of living in Pattaya as typical?

House condo and cars paid for and 854,000 expenses for the year???

Please pardon my candid observation, but It looks to me like an extreme

case of a farang with very poor money management skills.

If my house and condo and car were paid for, I could live like a Arab

sheik on 450,000 per year in Chiang Mai.

Very poor money management skills??? Remember this amount is for two people, wife and myself. Sure, we could probably cut back on some things like maybe sell one of the cars or the condo in Pattaya but we are not trying to live here as "cheaply" as possible. I lived "cheaply" during my working life so that I could do exactly what I'm doing now, having a decent retirement life. But to put you at ease, I assure you , that my money management skills are excellent. I was able to retire here at 54 and am now 68.

[FunFon]

I completely agree, the definition of money management skills is living within your means with enough margin of conservatism to be able to handle a certain degree of unforeseeable macro changes like currency fluctuations, market crashes etc.

If a million baht per year - or even ten million - is safe and comfortable for you, then more power to you and nothing anyone can say, other than perhaps you could be helping others more, but that's not their business either.

However it is inaccurate and insensitive to claim that a such lifestyle is the norm, or that others who don't have that same level of security and comfort are somehow inferior worthy of disdain, I couldn't be happy without x y and z.

But then again, inaccuracy and insensitivity are themselves the norm in such media, so enough pissing into the wind. . .

[NeverSure]

I am truly sorry for you Hardened soul and IMO if you don't change your rigid attitude you are destined to end up

a very sad, old, and lonely Hardened Soul.

I don't think I understand this. I really don't. I have always liked mentally strong women who were well educated as long as they were nice people.

I'm not sure what you're saying.

My ex wife is 11 years younger than I. It worked for a long time and we're still friends. She is highly educated, has a master's degree in the health care industry and pulls down well over US$100k per year plus benefits. She's good looking still, too. Why someone would marry an uneducated gal who was nothing but a drain financially and mentally is beyond me.

The prime suspect for me in LOS if I wanted to marry but don't, would be the same. A past her "sell by date" late 30's master's degree, 40k pm government job that would probably give my senior person government health insurance and some stability. She'd probably already have a house and car.

THEN if all I had (or was willing to admit I had) was 40k pm, we'd have 80k. I wouldn't be signing for a house or a car for her, just chipping in my 1/2 of the bills.

There are plenty of really good looking gals in LOS in that situation who would marry an older man simply because most Thais won't. If they will, she has a hard time finding someone who's a match for education, income, etc.

This presupposes you keep yourself in good shape and are sober and clean and have a little class.

Why scrape the bottom of the barrel?

Edited April 20, 2013 by NeverSure

[FunFon]

I don't think I understand this. I really don't. I have always liked mentally strong women who were well educated as long as they were nice people.

I'm not sure what you're saying.

My ex wife is 11 years younger than I. It worked for a long time and we're still friends. She is highly educated, has a master's degree in the health care industry and pulls down well over US$100k per year plus benefits. She's good looking still, too. Why someone would marry an uneducated gal who was nothing but a drain financially and mentally is beyond me.

The prime suspect for me in LOS if I wanted to marry but don't, would be the same. A past her "sell by date" late 30's master's degree, 40k pm government job that would probably give my senior person government health insurance and some stability. She'd probably already have a house and car.

THEN if all I had (or was willing to admit I had) was 40k pm, we'd have 80k. I wouldn't be signing for a house or a car for her, just chipping in my 1/2 of the bills.

There are plenty of really good looking gals in LOS in that situation who would marry an older man simply because most Thais won't. If they will, she has a hard time finding someone who's a match for education, income, etc.

This presupposes you keep yourself in good shape and are sober and clean and have a little class.

Why scrape the bottom of the barrel?

-

Not sure who you're addressing here, but if it's me I can assure you we're not even looking in the same barrels.

You use "really good looking gals" in the same breath as "past her "sell by date late 30's", which in my turn I can't conceive of.

You would call my target profile looking for a pet with benefits, I would call yours just as much headache as a farang woman (shudder).

Just different priorities, that's all, to each his own, live and let live is really my bottom line. . .

[ABCer]

40K/month is not enough...

Yes it is!

No it isn't!

etc...

ENOUGH/NOT ENOUGH; HAPPY/UNHAPPY; COMFY/UNCOMFY; ... remember the relativity theory?

I believe min wage in Thailand is around 9,000Bt. Min pension is around 500Bt if you get ANY!

About 78,000,000 Thais around us. Are they HAPPY? At least they smile! And we ARE here!

Stop this pointless bickering. Go and live. Eat. Drink. Make merry. And be happy.

Happiness is a state of mind, not a size of your wallet.

Some people are happy debating. ANYTHING!

BTW, stop paying your g/f or wife. Than you'll know if she really loves you.

Yes. The one of many great quotes of my ex-GF:

You think you have me for free?!

(When I advanced her 20K on her salary for a trip to Sisaket and didn't tell her it was an advance, heh, heh)

MY this proves nothing about money needed to live decently.

If you are old, fat and ugly and your G/F is young, sexy and good looker - you are in a buyer/seller relationship.

Don't call her a G/F. Sorry, mate for unpalatable truth.

Oh, and don't bother to reply...

[akspace]

I don't agree. Anyone that can't be content at 40K will not be content at 400K

Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Well, I am.

Seriously, when I walk up to a Krungsi ATM and push the buttons for 30,000 baht I am relieved when the machine spits out the 1000 baht notes. I can do that several times in a month. On the other hand, when there was a disruption and I was forced to use a SCB for 20K, I was stressing for 2 days until my bank sorted the account issues out. I can't live my life the way I want on 40K.

I'd be miserable relegated to living in a small room with no fan and forced to subsist on cheap Thai food. Sometimes I will take a cheap FD or NOK airfare at 2,000 baht or so, but mostly, I will pay the 3200 baht to fly in business so as to avoid the hassles of some airports. That's what the difference in income means. It also means being able to take care of those I love , and being able to support some charities that I hold dear. If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.

I live on less than 40k per month, my wife works with me not against me. We have 2 children and we still eat out at least 3 times a week and enjoy weekends at the beach.

If you cant live on 40k per month you need to take a long look at your lifestyle.

Would I like more money...of course. Would I be any happier.....no!

Ceteris paribus, you WILL be happier if you had more money.

I stopped getting additional enjoyment out of more money a long time ago. Today I fondly day-dream about the care free days when I made a mere 45000 baht a month, instead of the the stress filled days/nights/weekends which bring me well over ten times that....

But sure, more money WILL mean more happiness....

[thequietman]

I track my expences monthly so it was fairly easy to come up with my yearly exp for 2012 and then my monthly costs. This figure includes everything, insurance (auto/health) for wife and myself, home in Bkk and condo in Pattaya, doctor bills, several trips per year around Thailand, food etc. House, condo and cars all paid for. Total expenses for 2012, B854,000 or B71,000 per month. We're not big spenders but I would find it difficult to live here on B40,000 per month. Wife and I are both non-drinkers.

Do you suggest that we consider the cost of living in Pattaya as typical?

House condo and cars paid for and 854,000 expenses for the year???

Please pardon my candid observation, but It looks to me like an extreme

case of a farang with very poor money management skills.

If my house and condo and car were paid for, I could live like a Arab

sheik on 450,000 per year in Chiang Mai.

Very poor money management skills??? Remember this amount is for two people, wife and myself. Sure, we could probably cut back on some things like maybe sell one of the cars or the condo in Pattaya but we are not trying to live here as "cheaply" as possible. I lived "cheaply" during my working life so that I could do exactly what I'm doing now, having a decent retirement life. But to put you at ease, I assure you , that my money management skills are excellent. I was able to retire here at 54 and am now 68.

Your money management skills are crap. I retired here when I was 30. I am now 43 and life is still goooood.

[Gweiloman]

I don't agree. Anyone that can't be content at 40K will not be content at 400K

Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Well, I am.

Seriously, when I walk up to a Krungsi ATM and push the buttons for 30,000 baht I am relieved when the machine spits out the 1000 baht notes. I can do that several times in a month. On the other hand, when there was a disruption and I was forced to use a SCB for 20K, I was stressing for 2 days until my bank sorted the account issues out. I can't live my life the way I want on 40K.

I'd be miserable relegated to living in a small room with no fan and forced to subsist on cheap Thai food. Sometimes I will take a cheap FD or NOK airfare at 2,000 baht or so, but mostly, I will pay the 3200 baht to fly in business so as to avoid the hassles of some airports. That's what the difference in income means. It also means being able to take care of those I love , and being able to support some charities that I hold dear. If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.

I live on less than 40k per month, my wife works with me not against me. We have 2 children and we still eat out at least 3 times a week and enjoy weekends at the beach.

If you cant live on 40k per month you need to take a long look at your lifestyle.

Would I like more money...of course. Would I be any happier.....no!

Ceteris paribus, you WILL be happier if you had more money.

I stopped getting additional enjoyment out of more money a long time ago. Today I fondly day-dream about the care free days when I made a mere 45000 baht a month, instead of the the stress filled days/nights/weekends which bring me well over ten times that....

But sure, more money WILL mean more happiness....

No, more money on its own does not equate to more happiness. But, all things being equal, you will be happier with more money very simply because you will have better peace of mind as well as being able to afford more of what you want.

[David48]

No, more money on its own does not equate to more happiness. But, all things being equal, you will be happier with more money very simply because you will have better peace of mind as well as being able to afford more of what you want.

Agreeing along the lines of 'Assuming you have the basics covered, and everyone's 'basics' are different. Money doesn't make you happy per se ... money simply gives you options'.

[rgs2001uk]

I am truly sorry for you Hardened soul and IMO if you don't change your rigid attitude you are destined to end up

a very sad, old, and lonely Hardened Soul.

I don't think I understand this. I really don't. I have always liked mentally strong women who were well educated as long as they were nice people.

I'm not sure what you're saying.

My ex wife is 11 years younger than I. It worked for a long time and we're still friends. She is highly educated, has a master's degree in the health care industry and pulls down well over US$100k per year plus benefits. She's good looking still, too. Why someone would marry an uneducated gal who was nothing but a drain financially and mentally is beyond me.

The prime suspect for me in LOS if I wanted to marry but don't, would be the same. A past her "sell by date" late 30's master's degree, 40k pm government job that would probably give my senior person government health insurance and some stability. She'd probably already have a house and car.

THEN if all I had (or was willing to admit I had) was 40k pm, we'd have 80k. I wouldn't be signing for a house or a car for her, just chipping in my 1/2 of the bills.

There are plenty of really good looking gals in LOS in that situation who would marry an older man simply because most Thais won't. If they will, she has a hard time finding someone who's a match for education, income, etc.

This presupposes you keep yourself in good shape and are sober and clean and have a little class.

Why scrape the bottom of the barrel?

Why scrape the bottom of the barrel?

From what I have observed its usually the woman who has scraped the bottom of the barrel.

Take a wander up to say Big C or tesco/Lotus at On Nut and see whats wandering around.

There are plenty of really good looking gals in LOS in that situation

I posted the very same recently, and gave 3 examples of women who have no need for anyones money.

Why someone would marry an uneducated gal who was nothing but a drain financially and mentally is beyond me.

Because for many its all they can attract.

I am with HS on this one, well done.

My first questions are,

Do you have children, yes, goodbye.

Do you have ajob, no, goodbye.

Do you come with baggage, yes, goodbye.

Do you come with an attitude, yes, goodbye.

Are you able and willing to contribute to a relationship, no, goodbye.

Not interested in eye candy or girls with a my shit dont stink attitude.

[HeavyDrinker]

Oh this thread is majestic.

It has probably cost me my Saturday afternoon nookie but if anyone else wishes to post their entire lives online please carry on...

I once paid 200 B (inc tip) for fried rice in the Shangri La if that helps any....

[Spaniel]

I track my expences monthly so it was fairly easy to come up with my yearly exp for 2012 and then my monthly costs. This figure includes everything, insurance (auto/health) for wife and myself, home in Bkk and condo in Pattaya, doctor bills, several trips per year around Thailand, food etc. House, condo and cars all paid for. Total expenses for 2012, B854,000 or B71,000 per month. We're not big spenders but I would find it difficult to live here on B40,000 per month. Wife and I are both non-drinkers.

Do you suggest that we consider the cost of living in Pattaya as typical?

House condo and cars paid for and 854,000 expenses for the year???

Please pardon my candid observation, but It looks to me like an extreme

case of a farang with very poor money management skills.

If my house and condo and car were paid for, I could live like a Arab

sheik on 450,000 per year in Chiang Mai.

Very poor money management skills??? Remember this amount is for two people, wife and myself. Sure, we could probably cut back on some things like maybe sell one of the cars or the condo in Pattaya but we are not trying to live here as "cheaply" as possible. I lived "cheaply" during my working life so that I could do exactly what I'm doing now, having a decent retirement life. But to put you at ease, I assure you , that my money management skills are excellent. I was able to retire here at 54 and am now 68.

Your money management skills are crap. I retired here when I was 30. I am now 43 and life is still goooood.

Sorry I'm not up to your standards! I'll try to improve.

[rgs2001uk]

I track my expences monthly so it was fairly easy to come up with my yearly exp for 2012 and then my monthly costs. This figure includes everything, insurance (auto/health) for wife and myself, home in Bkk and condo in Pattaya, doctor bills, several trips per year around Thailand, food etc. House, condo and cars all paid for. Total expenses for 2012, B854,000 or B71,000 per month. We're not big spenders but I would find it difficult to live here on B40,000 per month. Wife and I are both non-drinkers.

Do you suggest that we consider the cost of living in Pattaya as typical?

House condo and cars paid for and 854,000 expenses for the year???

Please pardon my candid observation, but It looks to me like an extreme

case of a farang with very poor money management skills.

If my house and condo and car were paid for, I could live like a Arab

sheik on 450,000 per year in Chiang Mai.

Very poor money management skills??? Remember this amount is for two people, wife and myself. Sure, we could probably cut back on some things like maybe sell one of the cars or the condo in Pattaya but we are not trying to live here as "cheaply" as possible. I lived "cheaply" during my working life so that I could do exactly what I'm doing now, having a decent retirement life. But to put you at ease, I assure you , that my money management skills are excellent. I was able to retire here at 54 and am now 68.

Your money management skills are crap. I retired here when I was 30. I am now 43 and life is still goooood.

Retired at 30, thought you worked as a TEFLr somewhere in the back of beyond, yeah life must be so gooooood.

[David48]

Oh this thread is majestic.

It has probably cost me my Saturday afternoon nookie but if anyone else wishes to post their entire lives online please carry on...

I once paid 200 B (inc tip) for fried rice in the Shangri La if that helps any....

If you have enough beer to buy me ... I could share a story or two ...

.

[HardenedSoul]

As FunFon/BigJohnnyBKK keeps saying, "To each his own" but I think we all know that, as far as Thai-centric tales of woe are concerned, the overwhelming majority appear to be centred on relationships where a foreign bloke's rocked up in LOS, thrown his lot in with an attractive but poorly-educated, financially-challenged, single mother willing - and, indeed, hoping - to abandon whatever source of income she may have for the far more desirable situation where he "takes care" of her and her equally cash-strapped extended family.

I fully accept that there are instances where a man has had his clock cleaned - both financially and emotionally - by a woman of ostensibly sound financial and social standing but there's no denying whatsoever that the first scenario is more prevalent in Thailand.

Does this speak solely to the quality of the women here?

No, not at all.

I think it speaks just as much to the quality of the men who come here to find them.

As rgs2001uk suggested, the only reason a relatively educated and experienced (when compared to the average Thai) Western man would hook up with and/or marry an uneducated financial and mental sponge of a Thai woman is - put simply - because that's all he can attract

In conclusion, is 40k enough anymore?

Yes it is if you have a woman who can pull her own weight financially and make a tangible, reasonable contribution to life's expenses.

No, it isn't if you have a woman who would rather stick by your side in return for regular handouts.

EDIT - I doubt I'll get one of FunFon/BigJohnnyBKK's trademark long-winded responses overflowing with fake erudition since, it appears he's just been banned.

Edited April 20, 2013 by HardenedSoul

[wolf5370]

Don't see why anyone could not live on 40k a month (not saying anyone would want to). There are always places to rent under 10k a month - in CM nice 3 bed houses fully furnished for that - , this leaves 30k plus for food, bills and life style. Unless you have the aircon on all the time, less than a 10th of that will go on domestic bills. On doesn't have to live on 5baht meatballs-on-a-stick with 25k or so food wise. Cooked food can be got easily for 30-50 baht per meal, even with the odd pizza delivery and night out there'd be change if budgeted.

OK its not affluent, but neither would be living on minimum wage in the west! I reckon it can be done easier here than there.

Not sure why people think its big to be wasteful and spendthrift, any more than it is to be miserly and fugal - there is a middle path and budgeting for what is important and shopping for lower priced, still good, food and services.

[wolf5370]

As FunFon/BigJohnnyBKK keeps saying, "To each his own" but I think we all know that, as far as Thai-centric tales of woe are concerned, the overwhelming majority appear to be centred on relationships where a foreign bloke's rocked up in LOS, thrown his lot in with an attractive but poorly-educated, financially-challenged, single mother willing - and, indeed, hoping - to abandon whatever source of income she may have for the far more desirable situation where he "takes care" of her and her equally cash-strapped extended family.

I fully accept that there are instances where a man has had his clock cleaned - both financially and emotionally - by a woman of ostensibly sound financial and social standing but there's no denying whatsoever that the first scenario is more prevalent in Thailand.

Does this speak solely to the quality of the women here?

No, not at all.

I think it speaks just as much to the quality of the men who come here to find them.

As rgs2001uk suggested, the only reason a relatively educated and experienced (when compared to the average Thai) Western man would hook up with and/or marry an uneducated financial and mental sponge of a Thai woman is - put simply - because that's all he can attract

In conclusion, is 40k enough anymore?

Yes it is if you have a woman who can pull her own weight financially and make a tangible, reasonable contribution to life's expenses.

No, it isn't if you have a woman who would rather stick by your side in return for regular handouts.

EDIT - I doubt I'll get one of FunFon/BigJohnnyBKK's trademark long-winded responses overflowing with fake erudition since, it appears he's just been banned.

how do you know the first scenario is more prevalent? Surely it is just that they are more vocal - less likely to hear stories of normality are we - tales of woe are carried, enhanced and regurgitated at every turn. Simply put, there is no way you, or anyone, knows that it is more (or less) prevalent than any other scenario. Your quote of rgs2001uk does little to lend you credence - this is one myopic posters vision/opinion, nothing more. Unless he interviewed every such male, and their wives, then he is just hot air, quoting him doesn't make that any less so. Would you also say, the only reason a black man marries a white women is because his penis is too small for a black women? Its just as absurd and racially stereotypical. In the west, it has only been a hundred years or thereabout that women have been educated at all (outside of royalty) - so were all men for the last 12,000 years of civilization only marrying women because that was all they could attract (what else would they want to attract?).

[somtampet]

Why do you think the threshhold,for retirement visa is Bht 62,000 per month.

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

To each is own, I would say 150-200 is comfy Covers house, car or 2, savings, school for kids and discretionary spending. This is for Bangkok mind you, I have no idea about out in Whatdaphukaburi.

So u stay in Bangkok all the time,and not get experience of the proper Thailand.Good luck with your lungs,and stingy eyes

[maxme]

Why do you think the threshhold,for retirement visa is Bht 62,000 per month.

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

To each is own, I would say 150-200 is comfy Covers house, car or 2, savings, school for kids and discretionary spending. This is for Bangkok mind you, I have no idea about out in Whatdaphukaburi.

So u stay in Bangkok all the time,and not get experience of the proper Thailand.Good luck with your lungs,and stingy eyes

To be fair, Bangkok's suburbs are pretty much like Nakhon whatever. So it still counts as being part of "real" Thailand.

[arthurwait]

Why do you think the threshhold,for retirement visa is Bht 62,000 per month.

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

To each is own, I would say 150-200 is comfy Covers house, car or 2, savings, school for kids and discretionary spending. This is for Bangkok mind you, I have no idea about out in Whatdaphukaburi.

So u stay in Bangkok all the time,and not get experience of the proper Thailand.Good luck with your lungs,and stingy eyes

You can find drunks lying around on the floor by midday in Bangkok as well.

[MrHammer]

Maybe it is because I have been spoiled growing up around beatiful forests, fjords and sometimes mountains close to big cities, but I really don't understand how most of the budget brigade can stand living in the cheaper parts of Bangkok. It is so incredibly loud, polluted and constant noise and activity going on. I really NEED peace and quiet around me and preferably some threes and that is rather difficult to find where the 7000 baht apartments are located.

[kriswillems]

We live on about 45K (3 people).

If you don't have a child or you don't have a car or you don't have a wife you should be able to have a good lifestyle on 40K /month.

(a good lifestyle doesn't include, in my opinion, getting drunk every day or hang around in bars)

We don't have to pay rent. (If you buy property you can usually sell it at the same or a higher price you bought it. I would never hire).

We have a car and one child that goes to a Thai school with a good reputation (expensive).

We go to eat outside every meal (or buy take away) and usually one meal per day is a nice meal (in a mall). We don't cook at home.

We don't go to places where farang hang around.

We sleep in an airco room.

We work 7 days per week, 365 days per year, 10 hours or more per day and we like it.

Gass for the car: 4000 B /month for CNG gass

Buying a car + maintenance + first class insurance : 8500 B /month

meals: about 22000 B /month

rent : 0 B

electricity : 2000 B /month

water : 200 B /month

school : 5000 B /month

cloths : 1000 B /month

internet : 600 B /month

maintenance cost for house : 1000B /month

going out/fun/hobby : 1000 B/month

telephone: 600 B /month

Total expenses: 45900 B /month for 3 people

The car is also used for work, so most people would probably spend less on a CNG car.

Saving on this budget would be hard. Cooking at home would be the most easy way to save, but we don't have time for that because we're almost never at home.

The second biggest expense is the car. We can't save on that because we use it for work.

Edited April 21, 2013 by kriswillems

[elektrified]

take a thai woman with an education that makes her own money in stead of depending on yours...

+1

Who would foot the bill for someone else (other than their children of course) in their home country?

[Robby nz]

Reading through this topic I have been amazed that there seem to be people out there who are so useless that they need a maid to look after them.

What is there for a maid to do?

And the need for a car seems somehow to be ingrained, fair enough if you live in a place that has no public transport but as I have traveled around this country I have found these places few and far between.

In BKK, as I look out the bus window at the horrendous traffic I think anyone would have to be out of their tiny little mind to want to drive in that. And you must see stuff all when driving except the road and other vehicles around you, me I came here to experience the country and I wouldn't be able to do that while concentrating on driving.

So if you must have a car only use it when there is no other alternative.

Ask yourself why you came here, was it to sit in bars, you could have done that at home right?

Work out what you do want and budget, if the funds don't fit the wish list prioritise then get out there and do it.

[elektrified]

I cannot see how any thai family with 2 kids and a combined income of 30k are living worry free , i know they eat thai food which is cheaper but everything else will be the same prices, grocerys, car, bills, school etc, the prices in thailand have gone up drastically in the last 5 years but wage hikes havent.

I would say that a famly need 60k to get by living month to month and 80k to live ok and save a little, anything under that and you are in constant financial worry

That is true. Most middle-class Thai families have a larger combined monthly income than 30K. More like 40-60K per month. That is in Chiang Mai. Thai friends of mine in Bangkok are making much more. Look at the price of gasoline, electric bills, school, etc. 95% of the people who send their children to the school my son attends are Thai. There are only a few leuk krungs. A large number of the parents I see there are policemen, government workers, people who work in high-end hotels, have small businesses, etc. Many of them have 2 children going to the school. School alone is 4-8K THB per month. Most people do not live in the downtown area but 20-30 minutes away in the suburbs. Many of my Thai friends complain endlessly that they are spending 16K THB per month on gas going back and forth with the kids, to work, into the city, etc. It costs 2K THB to top up a truck, twice a week -- that's 16K per month. Then there is medical insurance, car payments, food....and on and on.

The last 5 years, the cost of living in Thailand has almost doubled for most things, but not all. Many Thais are working a number of different jobs or running a number of different small business ventures (selling Amway, Allianz, selling at the street markets, etc.) trying to make ends meet.

[elektrified]

Reading through this topic I have been amazed that there seem to be people out there who are so useless that they need a maid to look after them.

What is there for a maid to do?

And the need for a car seems somehow to be ingrained, fair enough if you live in a place that has no public transport but as I have traveled around this country I have found these places few and far between.

In BKK, as I look out the bus window at the horrendous traffic I think anyone would have to be out of their tiny little mind to want to drive in that. And you must see stuff all when driving except the road and other vehicles around you, me I came here to experience the country and I wouldn't be able to do that while concentrating on driving.

So if you must have a car only use it when there is no other alternative.

Ask yourself why you came here, was it to sit in bars, you could have done that at home right?

Work out what you do want and budget, if the funds don't fit the wish list prioritise then get out there and do it.

Uhhh. If you have children you need a maid. I agree if you are single I don't understand the need for a maid other than once a month.

Who could live without a car? Maybe if you are single and live in a downtown area but who wants to go out and arrive all sweaty and smelly after sitting in the back of a bus or sawng tao during the hot season?

[Tolley]

take a thai woman with an education that makes her own money in stead of depending on yours...

+1

Who would foot the bill for someone else (other than their children of course) in their home country?

Plenty of guys pay for women in their own country. It depends what your want out of your partner. I want my woman to look after me and my family and I am prepared to pay for it.

Good quality life in Thailand equivalent to what you would expect in the west requires 100k a month up.

[rene123]

$40,000 a month just isn't enough anymore. I mean just last week someone scratched my new Mercedes 300 and I had to buy a new one. The pilot for my Lear Jet says he needs a raise to pay for his golf membership at Pebble Beach and I won't have enough left for that bracelet at Tiffanies. I don't know what I am going to do. Maybe I'll just ask Mommy and Daddy to sell one of their oil wells.