I work so that I can retire...hopefully semi retired by 45 (semi means taking on small jobs not to get too bored).

I live and work here since january 2002.

Obviously ,with regards on how I destroy english language, I can not teach (even if I helped in Issan country), obviously also all position as pimp is nana are full and I had to find something else.

I work remote for some US based companies that outsources to me some coding to do.

I also have a micro company, not for the visa, but simply as I am french I can not imagine to live in a country and not participate to the improvement of the country wealth (I use MRT, BTS, Bus, walking street, it's was basically investment made with tax money, so I me too pay taxes).

My earning are the same as the basic english teacher, I work almost 18 hours a day 6 days a week, and I consider myself happy and lucky, in 4 years I witnessed planes full of people loaded with dreams and money arriving here, and going back home with dreams broken and wallet empty after some few month. I am still here, I do what l love the most, I found a nice gf that is always on my side even when money is rare and I still have hope, dreams and my wallet is never really empty (not really have the time to spend my money, so I have sometimes to ask the gf to do it for me).

Professionaly, thailand is like any other country, maybe like USA just after WWII. If you are tedious, work hard, if you are focused on your goal, then you will see luck appear several times. But it's so hard to be focuse when thousand of foxies are out, hard to work hard when beer is cold and girls warms, hard to be tedious when it's songkarn, newyears day, or simply when we can simply sit or play pool. Hard also, and trully harder than in europe, to be reconised as a professional due the huge amount of clueless people pretending to be professional (true in IT, true in teching, true in many fields). It explain why I choosed to work for outsourcing socities, they need programs, but do not claim I am numb in IT because I am not able to type correctly in australian english (problem I got with local clients).

Eventually I am french, so australlian english or american english ..... color, colour ... for me it's couleur and that is lol

And you were doing so well untill you got to the french part

So many replies to so many answers to this question . It seems that the one's who replied are doing what they like to to do , to stay here . I think thats all that really matters. Do what you have to do in order to stay here .

Senior management role covering Asia Pacific region for a large international law firm. Chose to base myself in Bangkok for a variety of reasons . . .

I'm a multi-millionaire

You mean a Baht multi millionaire right

Theres quite a few of those around

Also oilfield trash - SE Asia.

What's an oilfield trash?

I'm an relatively young Engineer at 43 whose not living or breathing in Los yet but very very soon. I've been saving and investing just for the sake of moving back. In a couple of weeks I will be vacationing there for a whole month but will be keeping my eyes open for a new home. Not sure where going to buy yet though

My job involves considerable pressure but I am handling it pretty well. I have to go on-line several time a month to see if my direct pension deposits have been deposited in my US bank. That's the easiest part. The more difficult part is deciding whether to use my ATM card for living expenses or to take the cheaper route and make a wire transfer for an exchange rate that isn't very good at this time.

i import clothes and jewellry and sell them, plus i work 1 day aweek as a credit controller

My Thai sister-in-law makes silver jewellery. Nice, too. Might you be interested in making contact with her?

I work in aerospace, defense and heavy industry.

Freelance productivity consultant. scrape by in low periods, live well in good periods. Not the retiring type, going to set my own consultancy here and keep doing it till my last day...love this business.

Working for an IT company in Gurgaon, India....can't wait to get back to LOS

Thailand isn't actually a great place to work or start a business. margins are small if you have your own business and working for a Thai company pays very little.

I live in Thailand but don't work here - most of my business is in the PRC. I just have to travel there for about one week a month to make sure I am not being ripped off.

As I discussed with the OP on another forum - being an electrician here isn't really possible. Starting a business yourself here is also troublesome and difficult to make a profit. Try somewhere else, not Thailand.

I'm a Wishgranting Coordinator, I Brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children.

I make my money other ways.

Cheers Noodles.

Thailand isn't actually a great place to work or start a business. margins are small if you have your own business and working for a Thai company pays very little.

I live in Thailand but don't work here - most of my business is in the PRC. I just have to travel there for about one week a month to make sure I am not being ripped off.

As I discussed with the OP on another forum - being an electrician here isn't really possible. Starting a business yourself here is also troublesome and difficult to make a profit. Try somewhere else, not Thailand.

I prefer to say an individual who create a business in LOS have to do it for the living ... the hope to make it on the long term (2 or more generations) seems to me small. But, but , but, but

But, there is still possibilities for people who have tenacity, ideas and luck (the luck you can have when you do all right and give yourself the right tempo). Obvious exemple, is the Khao San backpacker who started to teach english for 12 000 bht a month with a diploma from the same street, and who years after years became a real teacher, investing in real diploma from real university, and the nback home and enter in the educational system. Rare but some did it. LOS made probality possible, but probly you can fail.

But, there is still possibilities for people who have tenacity, ideas and luck (the luck you can have when you do all right and give yourself the right tempo). Obvious exemple, is the Khao San backpacker who started to teach english for 12 000 bht a month with a diploma from the same street, and who years after years became a real teacher, investing in real diploma from real university, and the nback home and enter in the educational system. Rare but some did it. LOS made probality possible, but probly you can fail.

Doesn't sound like much of a success story to me....

I get by on a wing and a prayer, and occasionally i close my eyes and use the force.

It looks like I am going to have to do something The wife never liked it here just was just going to stay and get the green card but now it seems you have to stay here to continue to get the green card

What's an oilfield trash?

I think they mean manual oil rig work. drilling etc.

"green card"?

"green card"?

Yeah green card!

And I wish I was oil feild trash!

I am familar with a greencard in the USA ... nothing quite like it in the LOS

At first my wife wanted to get a green card here in the us. Then she thought she could go home and possibly renew at the embassy. That way we would not have to come back to the us every year. A green card holder cannot leave the us for more than twelve months without re applying for a k1 visa.

I work so that I can retire...hopefully semi retired by 45 (semi means taking on small jobs not to get too bored).

Recognize that feeling! I missed the 45 goal, but hope to make the retirement in the next 5 or so. Then I can join Tuky on the golf course.

Semi-retirement at 45 for me also. 3 and a half years to go.

but i just dont know what job i can do over there apart from owning my own business, but if that goes sour i dont wanna be no english teacher. I would like to be a policeman but i dont like studying.

I don't think you have to worry about being an English teacher.

but i just dont know what job i can do over there apart from owning my own business, but if that goes sour i dont wanna be no english teacher. I would like to be a policeman but i dont like studying.

I don't think you have to worry about being an English teacher.

Well i dont wanna be one anyway.

I rather be a cop, then i can get tips off everyone i fine.

I will lay the law down so i can take as many tips i can get.

Plus im sure you dont have to study hard to be a cop.

Or maybe a tour guide for the farangs??

Or maybe someone in here will give me a Job.

The best advice that I can give anybody intending to retire early is: make sure that you have a good swag of your retirement nest egg in growth assets.

I retired early a few years ago, and put most of our money into Australian shares. Our income from dividends has doubled in real terms since retirement - so that what started out as being a comfortable income is now very generous indeed.

Do not make the mistake of relying on fixed interest type income.

My wife and I have computers and the Internet. We can work most anyplace in the world that has a reasonably reliable connection. And now TOT has produced wireless broadband in the middle of the ricefields of beautiful Nakhon Nowhere-which is more than we can get in rural UK, where you have to go trolling about to get enough people to sign a petition to BT...please can we have broadband.

We choose/chose LOS-as long as you avoid bureaucrats, politicians and policemen-where could be better?

But we did not reckon on the children being bored to death in the local Thai school which appears to think that education consists of having a different uniform every day and standing in rows listening to people drone on and play execrable band music . And we dont want them holed up in some so called International School. So we are going to have to make a lot more dosh and find somewhere else, worse luck

I have a house and small business in a rural province. My business is a combination convenience store, restaurant and shoe store. My wife runs it all. I work in Iraq as a defense contractor but I'm looking for the day that I can stay in Thailand permanently, 6 more months or a year is the goal. The wife and I are looking into another venture that just might get me there, we've set my sister-in-law up to start it and see how it goes. I can't do any actual work at the store but I set up a small shop at my home and I make porch swings and work in my garden to keep busy. I also tend to hang out at the restaurant drinking coffee and water. I've been known to sneak out back and wash the occassional dirty dish for the wife.

Gotta Love it!!!

I live out in the boonies and have no hope of getting a telephone land line. GPRS is nearly useless and other than an Ipstar satellite dish I have no other options that I am aware of. If you are talking about WiFi you better check it out a little further before planning on using that option.

My wife and I have computers and the Internet. We can work most anyplace in the world that has a reasonably reliable connection. And now TOT has produced wireless broadband in the middle of the ricefields of beautiful Nakhon Nowhere-which is more than we can get in rural UK, where you have to go trolling about to get enough people to sign a petition to BT...please can we have broadband.

We choose/chose LOS-as long as you avoid bureaucrats, politicians and policemen-where could be better?

But we did not reckon on the children being bored to death in the local Thai school which appears to think that education consists of having a different uniform every day and standing in rows listening to people drone on and play execrable band music . And we dont want them holed up in some so called International School. So we are going to have to make a lot more dosh and find somewhere else, worse luck

but i just dont know what job i can do over there apart from owning my own business, but if that goes sour i dont wanna be no english teacher. I would like to be a policeman but i dont like studying.

I don't think you have to worry about being an English teacher.

Well i dont wanna be one anyway.

I rather be a cop, then i can get tips off everyone i fine.

I will lay the law down so i can take as many tips i can get.

Plus im sure you dont have to study hard to be a cop.

Or maybe a tour guide for the farangs??

Or maybe someone in here will give me a Job.

Good luck I tried that no luck