My Planned estimated monthly budget for Thailand

[MrWorldwide]

what about girls

They'll be the people with the funny bumps on their chests. Well, most of those are girls .....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female

There'll be a quiz on Friday morning.

[willfreeman]

welcome to thaivisa, the home of bitter old farts who wanna piss all over anyone with the sense to come here when they are young enough to enjoy the place. They tell everyone oh you cant live in thailand for less than a million baht a month blah blah blah, total crock of shit, your young so you wont have to pay for women and their families like they do so. After six months in south east asia you may be 'burned out' then decide to go home or go elsewhere. Im 27 and just got home after 6 months in chiangmai, loved every minute of it. Have fun and good luck, don't let the 'deferred gratification' generation and the people who live their lives in a perpetual state of fear get you down, they are just jealous

You tell them Capt Ron. Nothing like words of wisdom about the ways of life from a 27 year old. Hell, I've got underwear older than you.

Good old Capt ron, cracks me up every time, to anyone not familiar with the film it's a must see

*wisdom and intelligence do not necessarily come with age, although old fogies always assume they posses both, alas not everyone assumes correctly.

[giggles]

all budgets go out the window when the 'little head' takes control of the spending plans ,then its a roller coaster ride to disaster ...yyeeehhaaa

[historyprof]

I already said, 60's -- and I've said it many times on ThaiVisa and elsewhere that with many of the most desirable women in Thailand, you don't find them; they find you.

So you can understand the concept of a thai girl of lets say 18-21 being much more comfortable having a date with a chap who is in the 20's or 30's rather than 40+?

They would see it more as a date, rather than a business transaction? How can you expect a girl of that age to be comfortable dating a man nearly three times her age? unless of course they are money grabbing snakes which i have no intention of getting involved with anyway. And before you say that they are all like that and that i'm kidding myself, theyre not, and i'm not.

You are not going to have a date with a Thai woman until you at least speak Thai. Age is way down the list of requirements. You have to get Thai Ized. You have a wife at home for land and business connections and children and a Mia Noi for dating. But the first step is to become fluent in The language. Age? Don't worry about it. If I had to put a number on it I would say age was about 22nd in importance. After, what kind of aftershave you wear and before what kind of socks you like.

Can i ask how old you are?

My first two years in Thailand I was 22 and 23. I was consistently angered as the hot girls went with the rich old guys. I could't compete. I didn't have a plane or a chauffeur driven car. Back then I thought old guys were men over 40.

But I really must commend you. I thought the topic was you wanting some feedback on your budget from men who had more experience in Thailand than you. Now I discover you are an expert on Thai women and know without a doubt about their likes and dislikes. Good on ya. It took me years to do what you seem to think you have done in days.

[historyprof]

Yes, everything being equal youth will have the advantage. But normally age has some advantages that are not always visible. Experience, security, nest egg, etc are all attractive. Add to that the confidence that is shown in a real man. Few young men or boys can show same without appearing cocky, it just takes time. Too many factors involved when selecting a mate.

Youth, looks and money will always trump wrinkles & money and I say that as a 46 year old so I'm hardly talking up my own shop here.

I'm just telling it like it is.

I believe the quote you are looking for is, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill." If you would like to know how it really is try google, "Old Age & Treachery by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson."

[ttthailand]

I already said, 60's -- and I've said it many times on ThaiVisa and elsewhere that with many of the most desirable women in Thailand, you don't find them; they find you.

So you can understand the concept of a thai girl of lets say 18-21 being much more comfortable having a date with a chap who is in the 20's or 30's rather than 40+?

They would see it more as a date, rather than a business transaction? How can you expect a girl of that age to be comfortable dating a man nearly three times her age? unless of course they are money grabbing snakes which i have no intention of getting involved with anyway. And before you say that they are all like that and that i'm kidding myself, theyre not, and i'm not.

You are not going to have a date with a Thai woman until you at least speak Thai. Age is way down the list of requirements. You have to get Thai Ized. You have a wife at home for land and business connections and children and a Mia Noi for dating. But the first step is to become fluent in The language. Age? Don't worry about it. If I had to put a number on it I would say age was about 22nd in importance. After, what kind of aftershave you wear and before what kind of socks you like.

Can i ask how old you are?

My first two years in Thailand I was 22 and 23. I was consistently angered as the hot girls went with the rich old guys. I could't compete. I didn't have a plane or a chauffeur driven car. Back then I thought old guys were men over 40.

But I really must commend you. I thought the topic was you wanting some feedback on your budget from men who had more experience in Thailand than you. Now I discover you are an expert on Thai women and know without a doubt about their likes and dislikes. Good on ya. It took me years to do what you seem to think you have done in days.

just think how smart they will be when they are 50 .... Hahaha.... Makes me laugh !!!!

My birds are <deleted> lovely. all the young guys walking around with these ugly babes. I love it when these young guys think I am paying my ladies all kinds of money to stay with me.... Hahaha. Boys... Some of us don't pay anything. We are just good at everything we do. You will learn when you grow up.

[HardenedSoul]

Hello

there are several things to concider which i NOT see in your budget:

- First of all , you mentioned that you are continuing your work as a writer , this defenitly needs a workpermit !

Sure, thailand isnt pro-active in seraching for this types of 'hidden' work , but one guy speaking bad about uyou can be enough to get a searchwarrant ) IN ALL EVENTS - KEEP QUIET ON WHAT YOU DO - EVEN YOUR BEST FRIENDS

working in Thailand without a valid workpermit ( and when caught ) is pain in the ass, deportation and a Blacklist.

- Rent a condo for 250 ? seems a bit low as you want to be in center - 300-350 would be ok if you want i little bit of luxury ... unless you want to spend your days and nights in a ROOM with a fan. I guess you need some deascent internet as well ?

- you want to find a girl out of the bar scene ? sure , good luck , you young and attractive ... THATSWHY

she will demand from you to take care her as well . ( she will try the family thing as well )

she will demand more luxe then your FAN-room .. of course her room has airco , why downgrade ??

Strictly speaking, yes, in theory he does need a work permit but in practice, he doesn't. He's a freelance writer who works from home on a computer.

It's not as if he's taking a job away from a Thai, is it?

He's being paid in sterling in the UK and most importantly, it's not as if someone can follow him to a place of work and tell immigration, is it?

On the subject of women, whatever you do, do not take advice about Thai women from people who spout bullshit like:

she will demand from you to take care her as well . ( she will try the family thing as well ) she will demand more luxe then your FAN-room .. of course her room has airco , why downgrade ??

Let's be straight and honest here; one of the main reasons a lot of these guys are here in Thailand is that, back home, they almost certainly lacked the ability to "get" (as in, understand) women. Maybe they were possessive, controlling, jealous or had fear-of-loss issues. Whatever the hang up, they failed with women more often than they succeeded.

These guys are here because:

1. Their pound, dollar or euro makes the playing field far, FAR flatter than it does back home so any loser can score a woman possessed of youth and looks far beyond that which he could realistically attract and retain back home (nothing wrong with this)

2. In their minds they don't have to worry about being considerate, supportive or all that wishy-washy stuff the women back home seem to set so much store by because, in Thailand, women are commoditized. All you've really got to do is throw money at the issue and that's something these guys can get their heads around (a lot wrong with this)

Trust me, if you've got even half a personality, reasonable looks and a little bit of "game", you'll quickly come to realise that it's a complete fallacy that girls outside the bar scene demand to be taken care of.

I've been here over 5 years and none of the women I've associated with have suggested that I help them with their outgoings or procure gifts and trinkets.

They're all just happy to be able to have good company, have a good laugh, get laid and get on with life.

[HardenedSoul]

Yes, everything being equal youth will have the advantage. But normally age has some advantages that are not always visible. Experience, security, nest egg, etc are all attractive. Add to that the confidence that is shown in a real man. Few young men or boys can show same without appearing cocky, it just takes time. Too many factors involved when selecting a mate.

Youth, looks and money will always trump wrinkles & money and I say that as a 46 year old so I'm hardly talking up my own shop here.

I'm just telling it like it is.

I believe the quote you are looking for is, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill." If you would like to know how it really is try google, "Old Age & Treachery by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson."

Nah, mate. I wasn't looking for any quote at all. Just told it as I see it.

Oh Lord, 2,000th post.

Edited August 19, 2013 by HardenedSoul

[historyprof]

i hope my post didn't come across as too rude to you older chaps, i understand that as an older guy 'looking after' a wife or long term girlfriend may be part and parcel of the relationship. I didn't mean to suggest you don't love her or that she doesn't love you but the fact is if the money runs out and shows no sign of coming back she will leave you - countless horror stories abound of old farangs who dropped their retirement money on a house blew the rest and the wife kicked them out when the funds stopped flowing. A younger guy doesn't have to budget for ongoing assistance to a partner or her family he can get a girl who will pay some of her own way and has the option to pick and choose until he finds one that will, once costs for wife/girlfriend and her family are removed i am simply at a loss as to how people spend the sums they claim to. In my experience people that claim big expenses generally are paying very high prices for their condos unawares that places down the street are half the price for the same quality, the eat in 'high class' thai restaurants where the bill is quadrupled but the food is no better than the 30-40baht neighborhood restaurant. If the op wants to stay in chiangmai he can get a room at green hill place for under 10k a month, 1k a month for use of the awesome pool, 4 for elec and water, internet and wifi free,( purchases a bike for 25k and the only cost for transport then is fuel), that still leaves him 30 k a month.

How do people spend one thousand baht a day every day?

or the people who say they could scrimp by on 60k a month, if you spend 15k on rent and utilities, you are still left 1500 baht a day - where does it all go?, perhaps some of you chaps are paying double the going rate for bar girls, are you really getting more joy or just spending more because you think it will make you feel better, are you really getting value for the inflated amount you spend, do you spend that much just to feel that your somehow more 'successful' more hi-so than penny pinchers like me

I eagerly await the howling screams of 'cheap charlie' from the old timers

Current count of horror stories are 2 retired guys to 8 young offshore workers/teachers/IT pros, and on and on.

Where do you get these countless horror stories? The deck in Thailand is stacked from retirement visa's to cheap prescription medication. The country wants old guys with cash. Is this news to anyone?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Let's be straight and honest here; one of the main reasons a lot of these guys are here in Thailand is that, back home, they almost certainly lacked the ability to "get" (as in, understand) women. Maybe they were possessive, controlling, jealous or had fear-of-loss issues. Whatever the hang up, they failed with women more often than they succeeded.

HS, at age 46 I seriously doubt you could still get a girl you wanted in London.

At our ages it's about getting younger women, and they are damned hard to come by in the west these days.

(Unless you are loaded)

[willfreeman]

i hope my post didn't come across as too rude to you older chaps, i understand that as an older guy 'looking after' a wife or long term girlfriend may be part and parcel of the relationship. I didn't mean to suggest you don't love her or that she doesn't love you but the fact is if the money runs out and shows no sign of coming back she will leave you - countless horror stories abound of old farangs who dropped their retirement money on a house blew the rest and the wife kicked them out when the funds stopped flowing. A younger guy doesn't have to budget for ongoing assistance to a partner or her family he can get a girl who will pay some of her own way and has the option to pick and choose until he finds one that will, once costs for wife/girlfriend and her family are removed i am simply at a loss as to how people spend the sums they claim to. In my experience people that claim big expenses generally are paying very high prices for their condos unawares that places down the street are half the price for the same quality, the eat in 'high class' thai restaurants where the bill is quadrupled but the food is no better than the 30-40baht neighborhood restaurant. If the op wants to stay in chiangmai he can get a room at green hill place for under 10k a month, 1k a month for use of the awesome pool, 4 for elec and water, internet and wifi free,( purchases a bike for 25k and the only cost for transport then is fuel), that still leaves him 30 k a month.

How do people spend one thousand baht a day every day?

or the people who say they could scrimp by on 60k a month, if you spend 15k on rent and utilities, you are still left 1500 baht a day - where does it all go?, perhaps some of you chaps are paying double the going rate for bar girls, are you really getting more joy or just spending more because you think it will make you feel better, are you really getting value for the inflated amount you spend, do you spend that much just to feel that your somehow more 'successful' more hi-so than penny pinchers like me

I eagerly await the howling screams of 'cheap charlie' from the old timers

Current count of horror stories are 2 retired guys to 8 young offshore workers/teachers/IT pros, and on and on.

Where do you get these countless horror stories? The deck in Thailand is stacked from retirement visa's to cheap prescription medication. The country wants old guys with cash. Is this news to anyone?

you've never heard of some old bloke being kicked out by his wife when the cash runs out? maybe you need to keep your ears open, i met two guys who had it happen to them when i was in chiang mai. They are the horror stories i was referring to are when an older guys finds the bulk of what was to be his retirement cash tied up in a house that isnt in his name.

[historyprof]

i hope my post didn't come across as too rude to you older chaps, i understand that as an older guy 'looking after' a wife or long term girlfriend may be part and parcel of the relationship. I didn't mean to suggest you don't love her or that she doesn't love you but the fact is if the money runs out and shows no sign of coming back she will leave you - countless horror stories abound of old farangs who dropped their retirement money on a house blew the rest and the wife kicked them out when the funds stopped flowing. A younger guy doesn't have to budget for ongoing assistance to a partner or her family he can get a girl who will pay some of her own way and has the option to pick and choose until he finds one that will, once costs for wife/girlfriend and her family are removed i am simply at a loss as to how people spend the sums they claim to. In my experience people that claim big expenses generally are paying very high prices for their condos unawares that places down the street are half the price for the same quality, the eat in 'high class' thai restaurants where the bill is quadrupled but the food is no better than the 30-40baht neighborhood restaurant. If the op wants to stay in chiangmai he can get a room at green hill place for under 10k a month, 1k a month for use of the awesome pool, 4 for elec and water, internet and wifi free,( purchases a bike for 25k and the only cost for transport then is fuel), that still leaves him 30 k a month.

How do people spend one thousand baht a day every day?

or the people who say they could scrimp by on 60k a month, if you spend 15k on rent and utilities, you are still left 1500 baht a day - where does it all go?, perhaps some of you chaps are paying double the going rate for bar girls, are you really getting more joy or just spending more because you think it will make you feel better, are you really getting value for the inflated amount you spend, do you spend that much just to feel that your somehow more 'successful' more hi-so than penny pinchers like me

I eagerly await the howling screams of 'cheap charlie' from the old timers

Current count of horror stories are 2 retired guys to 8 young offshore workers/teachers/IT pros, and on and on.

Where do you get these countless horror stories? The deck in Thailand is stacked from retirement visa's to cheap prescription medication. The country wants old guys with cash. Is this news to anyone?

you've never heard of some old bloke being kicked out by his wife when the cash runs out? maybe you need to keep your ears open, i met two guys who had it happen to them when i was in chiang mai. They are the horror stories i was referring to are when an older guys finds the bulk of what was to be his retirement cash tied up in a house that isnt in his name.

I work in Thailand. I live in Thailand. I have done so on and off for 40 years.

80% of the horror stories I have heard have involved young men with Thai families that don't live full time in Thailand. That is an accident waiting to happen. Age has nothing to do with it. When the cat is away. This is not a new concept.

Edited August 19, 2013 by historyprof

[NeverSure]

There is nothing I enjoy better than having someone on ThaiVisa say I'm deluded

Courtesy of Donald Rumsfeld who best said what it is like to have discussions who think what they know is what is known to everyone:

There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.

There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know.

But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know.

And it's no wonder that some of you guys parents think it was a great idea to leave home and move Thailand -- anywhere but staying home.

Oooh, touchy, Maybe the truth hurts. Nobody can say for sure, maybe you are lucky and have found a pretty young thai girl that is happy to be with an older gentleman like yourself without being interested in your money. I would say the chances are extremely low but all the same it is possible.

You havent yet answered my previous questions about how old your gf is and how much you con tribute to her expenses each month.

I get really tired of young, inexperienced know it all types who can try to belittle someone who's been in Thailand a long time and has, as they say, been around the block.

You know nothing about the man you are mocking but I'll just tell you he's been in Thailand a long time and has it figured out.

This is one of the times you'd do best to shut up, listen, and learn.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Oooh, touchy, Maybe the truth hurts. Nobody can say for sure, maybe you are lucky and have found a pretty young thai girl that is happy to be with an older gentleman like yourself without being interested in your money. I would say the chances are extremely low but all the same it is possible.

You havent yet answered my previous questions about how old your gf is and how much you con tribute to her expenses each month.

I usually find in the western world most men contribute 100% of their salary to their wife/gf every month.

They just don't understand they are doing that until they are kicked out of their homes.

[HardenedSoul]

Let's be straight and honest here; one of the main reasons a lot of these guys are here in Thailand is that, back home, they almost certainly lacked the ability to "get" (as in, understand) women. Maybe they were possessive, controlling, jealous or had fear-of-loss issues. Whatever the hang up, they failed with women more often than they succeeded.

HS, at age 46 I seriously doubt you could still get a girl you wanted in London.

At our ages it's about getting younger women, and they are damned hard to come by in the west these days.

(Unless you are loaded)

I'm in good shape, full head of hair and no wrinkles. Oh and, as you may have heard, "black don't crack" .

I'd say I look late 30s.

It really does depend on what you mean by "younger" women.

If you're talking, 30+, I've had plenty of offers both from Thai and Western women here. No reason to believe I'd not get the same back in London

If, on the other hand, you're talking 28 or younger, I wouldn't even bother.

What on earth would I have in common with a woman that young?

[zeichen]

The funny thing is when guys write things like "educated thai women want..."

Stop stereotyping. There are greedy people and social climbers from all social classes as there are humble, hardworking and supportive people from all classes.

I don't think any man here knows what all women want. The simple fact is that people find what they are looking for. If you want to support your partner, you will find it. If you want to build a relationship of equality and mutual support, you will find it. If you want a skanky hook up, you will find it. If you want to avoid using skills to meet women, you can pay for it.

Stop judging others for their choices. The old vs young crap should end especially in this thread which is about budgets not how I am better than you for the type of girls I can get.

The truth is there are 1000's of younger guys that support their wives and her family. There are people that want that kind of relationship or believe that it is customary and do it. They are not suckers, they just are. Similar to threads about Sin sod. People always justify rich vs poor, young vs old.

My experiences are similar to Spade but I don't like how he is attacking people for having different needs or desires.

Similarly it makes me sick to my stomach to read arrogant comments like historyprof. You do not need to speak Thai to meet nice Thai women. You don't need to do anything but be yourself to find the perfect partner. Yes, you increase your odds of dating by speaking the language but not speaking the language doesn't hurt you if you find someone who speaks English and wants the same lifestyle that you do.

I just don't understand why everyone thinks that what they have done should ever be the paradigm or is the standard to which all things must be judged.

Not every woman/man poor or rich is the same. The trick is to find someone that wants the same things out of life that you do no matter what her/his background is.

My wife and sister obviously came from the same background yet my wife is humble and has no desire for wealth or power and is happy with simple pleasures. Her sister and husband are millionaires and they travel around the world 2-3 times a year with their kids, buy designer clothes and bags (150k baht for a purse is so retarded to me). They are always buying the latest gadgets and flashing their wealth. They have material things that I could and would never have yet my wife and I are very happy. My father in law actually is more like us even though he has money. He spends next to nothing for himself and just enjoys gardening, reading and talking to all people. He kept up with the Jones's when he was younger but before retiring realized how silly it was. He actually played golf for 30 years just because it was expected of him. However, he actually hates the game. He and I have a lot in common and are closer than he is with his natural born son.

There is no one model of how people are from any background. So really stop this pedantic tit for tat.

Educated/uneducated; rural/urban; wealthy family/poor family; old man/young man; dark skin/ light skin; chinese-thai/pure thai.

All of these distinctions that posters tend to identify types, seem to forget that the only thing in common is you. We are forgetting that like when reading a book, you get out of something what you bring into it. Your past baggage and experience will also affect your concept of what these "types" are all about.

wish they had a smiley face icon with a guy pulling his head out of a picture of a horses butt. Because it seems like there are way too many people posting here that should do that

[ttthailand]

i hope my post didn't come across as too rude to you older chaps, i understand that as an older guy 'looking after' a wife or long term girlfriend may be part and parcel of the relationship. I didn't mean to suggest you don't love her or that she doesn't love you but the fact is if the money runs out and shows no sign of coming back she will leave you - countless horror stories abound of old farangs who dropped their retirement money on a house blew the rest and the wife kicked them out when the funds stopped flowing. A younger guy doesn't have to budget for ongoing assistance to a partner or her family he can get a girl who will pay some of her own way and has the option to pick and choose until he finds one that will, once costs for wife/girlfriend and her family are removed i am simply at a loss as to how people spend the sums they claim to. In my experience people that claim big expenses generally are paying very high prices for their condos unawares that places down the street are half the price for the same quality, the eat in 'high class' thai restaurants where the bill is quadrupled but the food is no better than the 30-40baht neighborhood restaurant. If the op wants to stay in chiangmai he can get a room at green hill place for under 10k a month, 1k a month for use of the awesome pool, 4 for elec and water, internet and wifi free,( purchases a bike for 25k and the only cost for transport then is fuel), that still leaves him 30 k a month.

How do people spend one thousand baht a day every day?

or the people who say they could scrimp by on 60k a month, if you spend 15k on rent and utilities, you are still left 1500 baht a day - where does it all go?, perhaps some of you chaps are paying double the going rate for bar girls, are you really getting more joy or just spending more because you think it will make you feel better, are you really getting value for the inflated amount you spend, do you spend that much just to feel that your somehow more 'successful' more hi-so than penny pinchers like me

I eagerly await the howling screams of 'cheap charlie' from the old timers

Current count of horror stories are 2 retired guys to 8 young offshore workers/teachers/IT pros, and on and on.

Where do you get these countless horror stories? The deck in Thailand is stacked from retirement visa's to cheap prescription medication. The country wants old guys with cash. Is this news to anyone?

you've never heard of some old bloke being kicked out by his wife when the cash runs out? maybe you need to keep your ears open, i met two guys who had it happen to them when i was in chiang mai. They are the horror stories i was referring to are when an older guys finds the bulk of what was to be his retirement cash tied up in a house that isnt in his name.

I work in Thailand. I live in Thailand. I have done so on and off for 40 years.

80% of the horror stories I have heard have involved young men with Thai families that don't live full time in Thailand. That is an accident waiting to happen. Age has nothing to do with it. When the cat is away. This is not a new concept.

You got a point there. I have been living in Thailand off and on for 18 years and most of the cases of wife's screwing around or leaving their husbands normally involve younger guys working out of country. Also all the fights I have seen involved young guys crying and fighting with their Thai gfs. A few cases of older guys losing a house here and there but most are people working out of country.

[willfreeman]

this post turned into a young vs old debate because that directly effects budgeting.

the op asked for advice on a rough budget of 44k a month, which most younger posters told him would be fine and would be very comfortable, where as you get the old timers who chime in with '30k a month and youd be sleeping under a bridge, you might just scrape by on 60k a month if you eat 30 baht meals all day everyday and want a massage twice a year' which is absolute bullshit.

it seems alot of the older guys expenses are accrued in 'supporting' their wife/gf and their extended family.

and any old person that say oh ive been in thailand ten years so i know etc etc needs to realize that yeah he knows alot about thailand, but only alot about what it is to be AN OLD MAN IN THAILAND. being a young man in thailand and being an old man in thailand represent remarkably different experiences when it comes to women, young guys can find a woman they wont have to support and therefore that directly effects their monthly expenditure and what total amount they will need to live an enjoyable life in thailand. A young guy can live a great life in thailand for significantly less than an old guy who has to pay his partner an allowance and support her family, that i think is the crux of the young vs old stoush this has turned into

Edited August 19, 2013 by willfreeman

[Kudel]

i hope my post didn't come across as too rude to you older chaps, i understand that as an older guy 'looking after' a wife or long term girlfriend may be part and parcel of the relationship. I didn't mean to suggest you don't love her or that she doesn't love you but the fact is if the money runs out and shows no sign of coming back she will leave you - countless horror stories abound of old farangs who dropped their retirement money on a house blew the rest and the wife kicked them out when the funds stopped flowing. A younger guy doesn't have to budget for ongoing assistance to a partner or her family he can get a girl who will pay some of her own way and has the option to pick and choose until he finds one that will, once costs for wife/girlfriend and her family are removed i am simply at a loss as to how people spend the sums they claim to. In my experience people that claim big expenses generally are paying very high prices for their condos unawares that places down the street are half the price for the same quality, the eat in 'high class' thai restaurants where the bill is quadrupled but the food is no better than the 30-40baht neighborhood restaurant. If the op wants to stay in chiangmai he can get a room at green hill place for under 10k a month, 1k a month for use of the awesome pool, 4 for elec and water, internet and wifi free,( purchases a bike for 25k and the only cost for transport then is fuel), that still leaves him 30 k a month.

How do people spend one thousand baht a day every day?

or the people who say they could scrimp by on 60k a month, if you spend 15k on rent and utilities, you are still left 1500 baht a day - where does it all go?, perhaps some of you chaps are paying double the going rate for bar girls, are you really getting more joy or just spending more because you think it will make you feel better, are you really getting value for the inflated amount you spend, do you spend that much just to feel that your somehow more 'successful' more hi-so than penny pinchers like me

I eagerly await the howling screams of 'cheap charlie' from the old timers

Current count of horror stories are 2 retired guys to 8 young offshore workers/teachers/IT pros, and on and on.

Where do you get these countless horror stories? The deck in Thailand is stacked from retirement visa's to cheap prescription medication. The country wants old guys with cash. Is this news to anyone?

before i started working offshore i worked in engine rooms on dredging ships worldwide some of my co workers lived in Thailand and phils all of them had wives and children there and where screwing local woman on every project we worked on worldwide ,sailors are a horny lot as everybody knows offshore same same .

Maybe some of these offshore workers thai wives found messages on there phones or facebook or e-mail and got kicked out by thai wifey.

I remember talking to some expats in a local bar in Buriram and almost al of them where screwing around behind wifeys back but of course most horror stories one reads on websites like this are very one sided the posters of such stories never say what they have done wrong in their relationship.

[barsie]

Figures still don't add up though- which is the point you can't really make an argument stand up.

Ok so freelance writing is getting you £75 per day and you are happy to work 7 days a week.

You have your assets down as in excess of £300k and a degree at 34. Even if you had earnt £75 tax free a day and worked for the last 10 years without a day off spending zero you are still short on the £300k assets.

I've read a lot of budget plans over the years- yours just seems to not quite add up as none fictional.

[historyprof]

Before I learned to speak Thai I thought I knew Thailand. It was only after I learned to speak Thai I realized that before I spoke Thai I didn't have a clue. When I was a young man in Thailand I thought the old rich guys got all the hot girls. After I became an old rich guy in Thailand I realized I was right. So 50/50. I was wrong about the language and right about the age and money.

Thai immigration thinks that a retired guy alone in Thailand needs 800,000 baht a year and only 400,000 if he has a Thai wife. Do you really think they don't know what they are talking about???????

Edited August 19, 2013 by historyprof

[willfreeman]

Before I learned to speak Thai I thought I knew Thailand. It was only after I learned to speak Thai I realized that before I spoke Thai I didn't have a clue. When I was a young man in Thailand I thought the old rich guys got all the hot girls. After I became an old rich guy in Thailand I realized I was right. So 50/50. I was wrong about the language and right about the age and money.

Thai immigration thinks that a retired guy alone in Thailand needs 800,000 baht a year and only 400,000 if he has a Thai wife. Do you really think they don't know what they are talking about???????

i think its possible they dont

[willfreeman]

and as for the rich old farangs getting all the hot girls? they don't want an attractive young guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EFXv47SruE&feature=player_embedded

take a look at that guy, was causing quite a stir amongst the local ladies in chiang mai, doesnt look like any rich old farang and as a security guard certainly wouldn't be bringing in the big baht, reality is women want a young guy they will go with an older guy but its for his money not for love.

[zeichen]

The funny thing for me is I don't see many "hot" anything. Overall women here don't dress up enough or have defined style. Certain areas in Bangkok you can find them but the average Thai woman is not "hot". I see even less hot with older guys. Young does not equal hot to me.

I will agree that being able to communicate in the language does aid in one's perception of the culture but perhaps you can realize that you are still limited. You are still judging based on limited exposure.

As per immigration are you kidding me?

So 10 years ago when it was 250k baht in the bank or 20k a month salary was that enough to live off of? They make some arbitrary number with inflation to try and protect the nation from being bankrupt bailing out dying expats on long term life support.

The other problem with HP logic is that he is probably so old and senile now that he forgets what it was like at 20.

I too came here in my 20's and now in my 40's and have very different experiences than HP. I am not jaded nor have I lived here off and on. Which sounds to me like a load of crap. You either lived here for 40 years or didn't. There is no off and on. You count the years you were here and you don't count the months and add them up over 40 years.

I have older friends that have lived here for 30-40 years straight and though I respect them and enjoy them, I don't have any similarities in how they believe Thai culture to be. I don't have relationships or experiences that are the same as them. They seem to believe that everyone must be like them and that their experiences are the standard for all. I don't judge them at all for their paths and I don't think that I have a better relationships or lifestyle or even understanding of Thai culture. I have my beliefs that are true to me, but HP thinks that it is ok to classify entire populations based on his limited experiences.

He reminds me of the criminal that got arrested for robbing a bank. He was so shocked that they knew who he was. The police responded stating that they had him on CCTV. The guy responded but I had lime juice on my face. He was so stupid that he didn't even know how stupid he was. He had heard that if you put lime juice on your license plate that the speed cameras couldn't read the plate (which is a myth) but he thought that it would work on his face and the CCTV.

making large assumptions based on limited experience but being so pigheaded not to realize that there might be other possibilities.

[TheSpade]

My first two years in Thailand I was 22 and 23. I was consistently angered as the hot girls went with the rich old guys. I could't compete. I didn't have a plane or a chauffeur driven car. Back then I thought old guys were men over 40.

But I really must commend you. I thought the topic was you wanting some feedback on your budget from men who had more experience in Thailand than you. Now I discover you are an expert on Thai women and know without a doubt about their likes and dislikes. Good on ya. It took me years to do what you seem to think you have done in days

At age 22 and 23 you were loosing out on girls to old guys?

If you're talking about hookers that might make sense as the older guys are thought to have more money and will spend it on them where as most young guys out here might fuc_k a hooker every now and again if there's nothing better on option but very few are likely to be splashing the cash on her, shacking her up or sponsoring.

If it's regular girls you are referring to then I've no idea why you would lose out to older guys. I know of some socially retarded guys that don't know how to talk to a women who have come here and even they had no problem getting laid

Trust me, if you've got even half a personality, reasonable looks and a little bit of "game", you'll quickly come to realise that it's a complete fallacy that girls outside the bar scene demand to be taken care of.

I've been here over 5 years and none of the women I've associated with have suggested that I help them with their outgoings or procure gifts and trinkets.

They're all just happy to be able to have good company, have a good laugh, get laid and get on with life.

I think if you fit the stereotype of the sort of guy who tends to hand out money for bullshit reasons to Thai women or seem like a needy and desperate provider type who will do anything for pussy and company you could get hit up for cash.

If you're young, aloof, fun and obviously got a fair few options in terms of women very few are going to even consider asking you for money because they know there's no chance.

Again it all comes down to the calibre of women you are dating. If it's bar girls and the like then I'd expect extortion, scams and please for cash. If it's regular girls who have proper jobs then I don't think it's even something they think of.

It really does depend on what you mean by "younger" women.

If you're talking, 30+, I've had plenty of offers both from Thai and Western women here. No reason to believe I'd not get the same back in London

If, on the other hand, you're talking 28 or younger, I wouldn't even bother.

What on earth would I have in common with a woman that young?

Having nothing in common hasn't stopped hoards of farang men from marrying and shacking up with younger Thai women.

Aged 30+ Thai girls are generally considered washed up though and you have to wonder why by age 30 they haven't gotten married or even a boyfriend when so many of them seem to want to be settled down by that age.

[TheSpade]

Before I learned to speak Thai I thought I knew Thailand. It was only after I learned to speak Thai I realized that before I spoke Thai I didn't have a clue. When I was a young man in Thailand I thought the old rich guys got all the hot girls. After I became an old rich guy in Thailand I realized I was right. So 50/50. I was wrong about the language and right about the age and money.

Thai immigration thinks that a retired guy alone in Thailand needs 800,000 baht a year and only 400,000 if he has a Thai wife. Do you really think they don't know what they are talking about???????

The old rich guys get all the hot girls? Most of the girls I see with older farangs are not very attractive.

My experiences are similar to Spade but I don't like how he is attacking people for having different needs or desires.

If the OAP brigade hadn't attacked the OP saying he was deluded / stupid / a dreamer / shouldn't come here / budget was impossible etc then there'd be no need for the young versus old debate or for us younger guys to point out why they spend so much money (hookers and expenses to their girlfriends).

Anyone with half a brain can tell you 45,000B a month minimum is more than enough to live in Thailand and have a decent life.

Guys who squander lots of money on women should surely know where all their budget is going and the OP said he didn't plan to bang hookers or sponsor a women so they should have took that into consideration before making out he was crazy for coming here with 45k per month.

The funny thing for me is I don't see many "hot" anything. Overall women here don't dress up enough or have defined style. Certain areas in Bangkok you can find them but the average Thai woman is not "hot". I see even less hot with older guys. Young does not equal hot to me.

We must live in 2 different Bangkoks because the BKK I live in is jam packed with stylish and fashionable girls that dress really well and look super feminine and cute.

Average Thai women that I come across = pretty, good skin, lovely hair, feminine, well dressed, cute, well mannered, polite....what more do you want?

Edited August 19, 2013 by TheSpade

[arthurwait]

Before I learned to speak Thai I thought I knew Thailand. It was only after I learned to speak Thai I realized that before I spoke Thai I didn't have a clue. When I was a young man in Thailand I thought the old rich guys got all the hot girls. After I became an old rich guy in Thailand I realized I was right. So 50/50. I was wrong about the language and right about the age and money.

Thai immigration thinks that a retired guy alone in Thailand needs 800,000 baht a year and only 400,000 if he has a Thai wife. Do you really think they don't know what they are talking about???????

You don't read the visa section ?

[poanoi]

 

this post turned into a young vs old debate because that directly effects budgeting.

the op asked for advice on a rough budget of 44k a month, which most younger posters told him would be fine and would be very comfortable, where as you get the old timers who chime in with '30k a month and youd be sleeping under a bridge, you might just scrape by on 60k a month if you eat 30 baht meals all day everyday and want a massage twice a year' which is absolute bullshit.

it seems alot of the older guys expenses are accrued in 'supporting' their wife/gf and their extended family.

and any old person that say oh ive been in thailand ten years so i know etc etc needs to realize that yeah he knows alot about thailand, but only alot about what it is to be AN OLD MAN IN THAILAND. being a young man in thailand and being an old man in thailand represent remarkably different experiences when it comes to women, young guys can find a woman they wont have to support and therefore that directly effects their monthly expenditure and what total amount they will need to live an enjoyable life in thailand. A young guy can live a great life in thailand for significantly less than an old guy who has to pay his partner an allowance and support her family, that i think is the crux of the young vs old stoush this has turned into

 

I think this post nailed the monthly budget so well that it should be stickied in a

"how much does it cost per month" thread !

[Fookhaht]

"Health insurance will be fully payed up in UK before i go."

And you write for a living?

Apologies, i was under the impression that i was writing on a message board, not submitting a piece of writing for my employer. Get a life, man.

Pay no attention to the spelling and grammar police. There's always at least one on every board. I'm sure the person who corrected you never makes a mistake.

Additionally, for many on here, English isn't their first language and we wade through that just fine.

Cheers.

Ha ha, cheers, some people just like moaning!!!

Every time the grammar police butt in, I can't help chuckling about.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM

[kscott]

Figures still don't add up though- which is the point you can't really make an argument stand up.

Ok so freelance writing is getting you £75 per day and you are happy to work 7 days a week.

You have your assets down as in excess of £300k and a degree at 34. Even if you had earnt £75 tax free a day and worked for the last 10 years without a day off spending zero you are still short on the £300k assets.

I've read a lot of budget plans over the years- yours just seems to not quite add up as none fictional.

Oh dear,how many times do i need to explain. Ok, the last time so listen carefully.

The £75 i earn per day is an average amount split down into a daily total for the sake of the budget. Still with me? OK, i work monday to friday as i've already posted earlier in the thread. i work approx 5 hours per day monday to friday and a couple of hours on a morning over the weekend. For those hours i am banking anything from £500 to £550 per week depending on which client i am working for. Again, as stated previously, I have not always been a writer. Prior to this i worked all over the world as a chemical engineer. As my grandfathers only grandchild, he left one of his houses to me when he died so i have not had to purchase a house or ever pay a mortgage. The majority of the large salary that i earned was banked. Now i am in the process of buying some property with my savings, approx 90%. Together with my house i already own i will rent these properties out. Still with it?

For the time being i need to be self sufficient. My revised budget on page 7 outlines what i should be earning and spending together with the lifestyle i live.

If you cannot grasp that then i must apologise, i have neither the patience nor the inclination to repeat myself AGAIN.

Over to you, pick some holes in that.

Edited August 19, 2013 by kscott