40K A Month Isn't Enough Anymore

[BookMan]

Shocked for what?

You guys seem to be stuck in some kind of time-warp where "quality" Thai women are ultra-reserved, demure and insist that the first few dates include a chaperone. Curious when many of you spend an inordinate amount of time with

and expend so much effort on Thai women who wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of fitting that description

The world's moved on, geezers so try to keep up, eh!

Hey there HardenedSoul ... you have shared with us your partner's photos more then once ... though you never did mention what she did for work?

She must be working because you said that you would never pay a stipend ...

My girlfriend was amused by your partners photo ... mentioned she had "big hands ... pretty though".

I leapt to your defence and said that the 'big hands' was a trick of the lens ... you can thank me later ...

.

i notice its always the same 2 pics, either their your fav or your camera broke after those 2.

It is always the same two pics and personally I would like some variety.

[FunFon]

So true! I eat Thai food every day from local places, not only is it delicious but it is so cheap. Surely for 40bt it can't be made cheaper at home buying from tesco?

-

Surely it can't if you're buying from Tesco.

Even from Khlong Toei market is difficult to swing if you're just one person, do it yourself and value your time.

But given a small group, an inexpensive servant and a wholesale wet market, B500 is enough to feed a household of seven hungry mouths for four days, maybe B600 if you want more protein than's necessary.

And much healthier.

Of course the Thais involved will spend much more that that just on mama, fizzy drinks and fat+sugar "khanom", but that doesn't count as real food in my books, they just have developed the habit of throwing money away.

[joecos]

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 said MD : What a load of sh!te by the op.

Up here were i stay anyone can live comfortably

on 40k.

[FunFon]

Well said MD : What a load of sh!te by the op.

Up here were i stay anyone can live comfortably

on 40k.

-

Anyone willing to live "up there" and sharing your opinion about what living "comfortably" means.

Really, it's "how long is a piece of string", disagreement is inherent to the topic domain.

Not to mention the fact that the core message of the OP was specifically about his inability to retain a certain type of TG as his living companion or playtoy or whatever, which injects much more subjective variables into the mix. . .

[Neeranam]

I too lived in Asoke for a few years - in Las Colinas, next door to soi Cowboi. 2 bedroom apartment, 100 sq metres. Thb 32k a month. Nothing fancy, just comfortable (and convenient, I should add). Add in internet, cable TV, utilities, it comes to 35k. I would consider that a fairly decent standard of living, just not doable on 40k monthly salary.

You'd have to pay me to live next to Soi Cowboy. What a lot of people fail to understand is that the massively overpriced 'central' locations near the farang red light areas are completely undesirable for many people. You can get a 2 bedroom for 1/4 to 1/2 that price and not have to put up with living next to a whorehouse and deal with hundreds of hookers, sex tourists, taxi touts, scammers, ladyboys, and beggars everywhere. Not to mention I'd be embarrassed to take anyone to my apartment and have them see my choice of location.

Seems a bit unfair classifying ladyboys with hookers, sex tourists, taxi touts, scammers, and beggars.

Really?

The ladyboys are the most frightening of those groups - at least from what I have observed in Pattaya. The only time I have ever been slightly concerned for my well-being was on two occasions when approached by pairs of ladyboys. There are numerous reports of incidents involving ladyboys.

Take a ride down soi 6/1 in Pattaya late at night - a few of the trannies could make the England front row.

These ladyboys are prostitutes. Why do so many people think ALL ladyboys are all hookers? Edited April 18, 2013 by Neeranam

[SteeleJoe]

I have heard young Thai women with MBAs sizing up farang men, saying stuff like, "Oh, he must be making a million baht a month", as they steer them into the Louis Vuitton shop in Siam Paragon.

You know these ladies personally ? Just wondering how you know they have MBA's ?

He somehow saw and heard (spoken in Thai) all this...as he was passing by? Walking with them? Hanging out in the doorway of the Louis Vuitton shop in Siam Paragon?

Dubious.

[FunFon]

These ladyboys are prostitutes. Why do so many people think ALL ladyboys are all hookers?

-

A bit oversensitive I think, no one said anything of the sort.

Maybe if you just substitute "the kinds of ladyboys you run into at night around red light districts" that will IMO more accurately convey the writer's intent.

However it is true that many hetero and cisgender guys are physically disgusted by the site of a trans in any context, so perhaps my interpretation is overly generous, but I prefer to swing that way rather than assuming the worst.

[crazykopite]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

Another really odd happening

When the men get paid, end of month, they are expected to bring their wage packet home, unopened, and hand it to their wife. She will then open the wage packet, count the money and hand the guy 200-400bht for him to spend. She keeps the rest to pay household bills.

In the late 40s and fifties UK wives would meet there husbands outside the factory gates and take their wage packets off them, they would then take out enough for the bills and food and hand back the wage packet to the husband he in turn would head off to the pub and drink it !!

[899cc]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

Another really odd happening

When the men get paid, end of month, they are expected to bring their wage packet home, unopened, and hand it to their wife. She will then open the wage packet, count the money and hand the guy 200-400bht for him to spend. She keeps the rest to pay household bills.

In the late 40s and fifties UK wives would meet there husbands outside the factory gates and take their wage packets off them, they would then take out enough for the bills and food and hand back the wage packet to the husband he in turn would head off to the pub and drink it !!

That still happen's here with some Thai wife's i know.......

[Naam]

Your joking right ? 40k a month!!! More like 120-200k a month when you add eating out 7 days a week, shopping, bar bill nightly for the man 2k. The wife drinks water.

Villa staff costs 20k ,

Then bills such as car fuel ,

I've met people out here who say they live on 30k their lives are very fugal (right word ?)

I'd love to know how you accomplish that!

with THB 30k every three days one can manage without any problems. those who can't are most probably dàmn liars.

[Naam]

These ladyboys are prostitutes. Why do so many people think ALL ladyboys are all hookers?

-

A bit oversensitive I think, no one said anything of the sort.

Maybe if you just substitute "the kinds of ladyboys you run into at night around red light districts" that will IMO more accurately convey the writer's intent.

However it is true that many hetero and cisgender guys are physically disgusted by the site of a trans in any context, so perhaps my interpretation is overly generous, but I prefer to swing that way rather than assuming the worst.

it is a well known fact that "the kinds of ladyboys you run into at night around red light districts" are members of the Salvation Army who are trying to save the souls of poor exploited working girls.

[cardholder]

You'd have to pay me to live next to Soi Cowboy. What a lot of people fail to understand is that the massively overpriced 'central' locations near the farang red light areas are completely undesirable for many people. You can get a 2 bedroom for 1/4 to 1/2 that price and not have to put up with living next to a whorehouse and deal with hundreds of hookers, sex tourists, taxi touts, scammers, ladyboys, and beggars everywhere. Not to mention I'd be embarrassed to take anyone to my apartment and have them see my choice of location.

Seems a bit unfair classifying ladyboys with hookers, sex tourists, taxi touts, scammers, and beggars.

Really?

The ladyboys are the most frightening of those groups - at least from what I have observed in Pattaya. The only time I have ever been slightly concerned for my well-being was on two occasions when approached by pairs of ladyboys. There are numerous reports of incidents involving ladyboys.

Take a ride down soi 6/1 in Pattaya late at night - a few of the trannies could make the England front row.

These ladyboys are prostitutes. Why do so many people think ALL ladyboys are all hookers?

Nobody said ALL ladyboys are hookers. There is a huge khatoey fraternity in Thailand (as there is 'girls') who go nowhere near prostitution. DP25's post was specifically about the Cowboy area and, in that context, it is absolutely right to classify them together.

Don't single out ladyboys, in the context of these posts, for moral fortitude. They are often the lowest of the low and some of the most dangerous individuals.

[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.

[culicine]

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

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

I don't think the Thai government had our comfort in mind when they set the level at 65K a month. More like to cover the cost of health issues and other things that might cost THEM money. 40K is plenty for a pensioner here who wants to live modestly and have a comfortable place to live, especially up country.

[HardenedSoul]

Shocked for what?

You guys seem to be stuck in some kind of time-warp where "quality" Thai women are ultra-reserved, demure and insist that the first few dates include a chaperone. Curious when many of you spend an inordinate amount of time with

and expend so much effort on Thai women who wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of fitting that description

The world's moved on, geezers so try to keep up, eh!

Hey there HardenedSoul ... you have shared with us your partner's photos more then once ... though you never did mention what she did for work?

She must be working because you said that you would never pay a stipend ...

My girlfriend was amused by your partners photo ... mentioned she had "big hands ... pretty though".

I leapt to your defence and said that the 'big hands' was a trick of the lens ... you can thank me later ...

.

i notice its always the same 2 pics, either their your fav or your camera broke after those 2.

It is always the same two pics and personally I would like some variety.

Sorry but those are only two I've bothered to upload to my online photo archive thingy.

In any case, I'm not providing material for you guys' "5-knuckle-shuffles" when your wives and girlfriends aren't around.

Go buy FHM you tightwads

[arthurwait]

Shocked for what?

You guys seem to be stuck in some kind of time-warp where "quality" Thai women are ultra-reserved, demure and insist that the first few dates include a chaperone. Curious when many of you spend an inordinate amount of time with

and expend so much effort on Thai women who wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of fitting that description

The world's moved on, geezers so try to keep up, eh!

Hey there HardenedSoul ... you have shared with us your partner's photos more then once ... though you never did mention what she did for work?

She must be working because you said that you would never pay a stipend ...

My girlfriend was amused by your partners photo ... mentioned she had "big hands ... pretty though".

I leapt to your defence and said that the 'big hands' was a trick of the lens ... you can thank me later ...

.

He did a few pages back. Pay attention at the back.

[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.

I don't think the Thai government had our comfort in mind when they set the level at 65K a month. More like to cover the cost of health issues and other things that might cost THEM money. 40K is plenty for a pensioner here who wants to live modestly and have a comfortable place to live, especially up country.

So tell me something mr hedghog,how is that it is 400,000 baht if married,thats a minimum of 2 people

[Chicog]

Ironically, only last night, as the Butler handed me my early evening Martini, he looked at me and said "Sir, isn't it times like this that you wonder what the poor are doing?".

[MrHammer]

I would not live in sukhimvit if my life depended on it.

one hour in that place and i'm looking for a way out.

the malls are good, some clubs, other then that certain things do my head in.

You're talking about lower Sukhumvit here or what? Thong Lor, Phrom Phong, Ekamai are certainly excellent places to live down the quiet sois and On Nut has some ok cheap places around.

[David48]

Sorry but those are only two I've bothered to upload to my online photo archive thingy.

Hey there HardenedSoul ... you have shared with us your partner's photos more then once ... though you never did mention what she did for work?

She must be working because you said that you would never pay a stipend ...

My girlfriend was amused by your partners photo ... mentioned she had "big hands ... pretty though".

I leapt to your defence and said that the 'big hands' was a trick of the lens ... you can thank me later ... .

In any case, I'm not providing material for you guys' "5-knuckle-shuffles" when your wives and girlfriends aren't around.

Go buy FHM you tightwads

HardenedSoul ... not really interested in what your partner looks like ... but what work she does because, in your own words ...

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

They're idiots for getting into a relationship/marriage with a woman who requires a monthly stipend.

... there is no chance that you pay them anything and surely, a handsom man like you would not tolerate a freeloader ...

In this game of tennis ... the reply is in your court ...

.

Edited April 18, 2013 by David48

[TempleTiger]

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!

[muythai2013]

I would not live in sukhimvit if my life depended on it.

one hour in that place and i'm looking for a way out.

the malls are good, some clubs, other then that certain things do my head in.

You're talking about lower Sukhumvit here or what? Thong Lor, Phrom Phong, Ekamai are certainly excellent places to live down the quiet sois and On Nut has some ok cheap places around.

the place has to many tourist

[MrHammer]

I would not live in sukhimvit if my life depended on it.

one hour in that place and i'm looking for a way out.

the malls are good, some clubs, other then that certain things do my head in.

You're talking about lower Sukhumvit here or what? Thong Lor, Phrom Phong, Ekamai are certainly excellent places to live down the quiet sois and On Nut has some ok cheap places around.

the place has to many tourist

Very few tourists out past Phrom Phong.

[MaxYakov]

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF. I would only consider marriage with a girl 10X richer than me and if this means spending my life on my own so be it

I'll settle for 5X - relatively low self-esteem.

[Donnie Brasco]

If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.

-If circumstances were such that you had to make do on less, I would hope you'd find a way to still find happiness.Just to give some perspective, some of the Jews waiting to be exterminated by the Nazis found ways to be happy.

Yeah, for sure.

One guy came up with a ballpoint pen about seven years before it was actually invented.

The one that Anne Frank used to finish her diary.

Last week it was your rent scam, now you're into holla-hits.

Don't know where you spend you time Dude, but you need to find something more productive to do with your time than troll the TV board for members who've had a decent education.

[MaxYakov]

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)

Edited April 18, 2013 by MaxYakov

[HardenedSoul]

Hey there HardenedSoul ... you have shared with us your partner's photos more then once ... though you never did mention what she did for work?

Mate ... not really interested in what your partner does ... but what work she does because, in your own words ...

>

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

They're idiots for getting into a relationship/marriage with a woman who requires a monthly stipend.

... there is no chance that you pay them anything and surely, a handsom man like you would not tolerate a freeloader ...

In this game of tennis ... the reply is in your court ...

.

Given the limited information you provided (if she became a mother, moved to your homeland and/or left her management job), I took a best guess at the drivers behind your making a decision to pay your wife or girlfriend a monthly stipend.

You said I was wrong. Fair enough!

Anyway, as I have no real, genuine interest in your life choices, I didn't bother pressing you for clarification, left it at that and, in response to another poster who claimed that 40k wasn't enough to live and maintain a girlfriend on, I posted a couple of pics and a description (including what she does for a living) of a woman I've been seeing for nearly three years as proof that it is possible - with a personality and some "game" - to hook up with a perfectly attractive woman without having to pay her a salary.

Now you're back and apparently sceptical of my preference for non-freeloaders. I dunno; maybe it's just that you can't get your head around how any Western man in Thailand can actually secure and retain an attractive woman in mainstream, gainful employment away from the red lights unless he dishes out a salary. If that's the case, that's your problem, not mine.

Regardless, I stand by what I said which is; Any man who pays his wife or girlfriend a monthly stipend is an idiot. I'm not talking about money for houskeeping, some nice clothes, gifts or what have you; I'm talking about a regular payment she "sends to the family" that ensures she'll remain with him.

Tell you what; tell your wife or girlfriend that the stipend is being rescinded then come back and tell us all what happened . . . once you've fought through the cloud of dust she's left on the way out.

[David48]

^^ HardenedSoul ... nope ... just asked what your partner worked as.

If you don't wish to reveal that ... fair enough.

But continuing to show her photo as what partner you can attract, saying that you never contribute a stipend under any circumstances, then the question re her vocation remains.

Just giving you the platform to man up and say ... then the question is mute.

If you choose not to ... fair cop.

As Thailand often says ... up to you ...

EDIT:- BTW ... I do respect your conviction, and the fact that you are prepared to stand by them ... ... our mileage varies though.

.

Edited April 18, 2013 by David48

[Mooner]

I could live on 30K if i wanted and that is eating out every night. All this depends on variations! If you have a wife and kids. If you like expensive imported goods.

I eat Thai food everyday. Not because i have to but i enjoy it. Sometimes i enjoy a English breakfast(especially if i had a few beers the night before

or a steak or whatever but unless you are eating cheese and drinking red wine everyday i find it hard to believe that people are spending the type of money they claim (200k!!!)

[balo]

10 pages and you still cant decide if 40k is enough or not.

I will make it simple for you. YES 40K is ENOUGH to live in Bangkok.

If you are on your own , if you live in a 1 BR apartment . IT IS ENOUGH!!! I know because I lived for less than that for 2 years. And I had a nice condo , swimming pool , eat Thai food and even western food. Rent was 10k .

90% of the Thai population live on less than 40k and they are families. ITS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO LIVE OK

Now can we stop this topic ?

Edited April 18, 2013 by balo