Living in BKK for a year on 8 grand?

[sidjameson]

Some people find happiness from within and can live on next to nothing. But because they already have nearly everything.

[bertty]

Some people find happiness by taking a walk, others find it by being stuck in traffic but only as long as they are in the best car in the jam.

[sidjameson]

Great one, never heard that before.

[puukao]

buy a tent and spend a few months camping.

hang out at restaurants during closing and ask for discounts before they throw out food

filter tap water with rocks, save money

buy 20 lb bags of rice...

yes, you can survive for a year. if you must clear your head and recharge, good for you. but there is no upside to living like this for the sake of proving you can survive. it won't be fun when it's 40C in your room and you cant afford AC. hopefully no health issues, or anything not planned. friends will be hard, as they might want to do things that require money.

i think you need about 15,000 USD a year just to be safe (including airfare, visa)

i do get it.....get away, start over, fade into the abyss as you think it through. However, if you are in the States, you can just go camping for one week and live in some homeless shelters along the way. yes, there is the stigma of being homeless, but surviving in BKK isn't that much different. good luck to you.

[Diplomatico]

Some people find happiness by taking a walk, others find it by being stuck in traffic but only as long as they are in the best car in the jam.

Pretty "funny", thanks. "Anyone" who thinks "canarysun" is anything "but trolling" this thread "is" incredibly naive.

[bernd1616]

it´s very simple. people like canarysun really live in thailand, others only stay here no matter how long. and how much money they spend. but i doubt this guys spending so much money while staying in thailand for years will understand the different between live and stay here. and this guys are the really poor ones :-D

[TheSpade]

canarysun, are you living on a budget as you literally have no extra money or do you choose to live like this?

I've met various types of farangs in Thailand.

Those who have money but don't like to spend it and have got stuck in a race to the bottom to see just how cheap they can be like it's some sort of competition, the only person they are competing with is themselves however.

And I've met those who are pretty broke and can't afford to do anything other than scrimp and save every last baht.

Then there's are those who don't have much money but like to large it up and throw the cash about acting like a hot shot when they can't afford to,

Mr Spade....

Living on my budget is certainly not " a competition " lol and i can assure you ( and our viewers ) that i don't " swan about all day with my nose pointing northwards " pretending to be " a hot shot " lol (quite the opposite may i add...) I am just a simple guy living a simple life here in Thailand.I love to walk everywhere and i just love train journeys.(as i dislike the roads) i could never go to places like " Starbucks " and buy a coffee when for the same money i can buy about 50 sachets of 3 in 1 coffee in Tesco Lotus ! ( " Buddy Dean " is a fabulous coffee.Have you tried it viewers...? )

F.J x

But not everything has to be about the price.

Sure you could drink instant coffee in your apartment but going to Starbucks and chatting with people in a nice air conned environment drinking a tasty ice coffee (not that I've ever drank a Starbucks iced coffee I don't think) and relaxing for a while can be nice,

I have friends living in Bangkok who make all their decisions based on price. They aren't even that broke. Thailand has just made them super cheap. They were probably always cheap but Thailand seems to really bring out the cheapness in people.

If you ask them if they want to go out somewhere for food or drinks the first thing they ask is how much it will cost. And if it's anything more than 50B for a meal or 100B for a big bottle of Leo they will not even entertain the idea of going.

You can tell them it's a great atmosphere, fantastic crowd, brilliant live music, excellent food or whatever it just does not matter they won't go.

To me that just makes no sense. I will happily pay more to go to a place I really like rather than go somewhere I don't like too much just because it's cheap.

The whole beauty of Thailand IMO is that you can live the sort of lifestyle that you can't have back home due to the fact Thailand is such good value for money.

[canarysun]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

canarysun, are you living on a budget as you literally have no extra money or do you choose to live like this?

I've met various types of farangs in Thailand.

Those who have money but don't like to spend it and have got stuck in a race to the bottom to see just how cheap they can be like it's some sort of competition, the only person they are competing with is themselves however.

And I've met those who are pretty broke and can't afford to do anything other than scrimp and save every last baht.

Then there's are those who don't have much money but like to large it up and throw the cash about acting like a hot shot when they can't afford to,

Mr Spade....

Living on my budget is certainly not " a competition " lol and i can assure you ( and our viewers ) that i don't " swan about all day with my nose pointing northwards " pretending to be " a hot shot " lol (quite the opposite may i add...) I am just a simple guy living a simple life here in Thailand.I love to walk everywhere and i just love train journeys.(as i dislike the roads) i could never go to places like " Starbucks " and buy a coffee when for the same money i can buy about 50 sachets of 3 in 1 coffee in Tesco Lotus ! ( " Buddy Dean " is a fabulous coffee.Have you tried it viewers...? )

F.J x

But not everything has to be about the price.

Sure you could drink instant coffee in your apartment but going to Starbucks and chatting with people in a nice air conned environment drinking a tasty ice coffee (not that I've ever drank a Starbucks iced coffee I don't think) and relaxing for a while can be nice,

I have friends living in Bangkok who make all their decisions based on price. They aren't even that broke. Thailand has just made them super cheap. They were probably always cheap but Thailand seems to really bring out the cheapness in people.

If you ask them if they want to go out somewhere for food or drinks the first thing they ask is how much it will cost. And if it's anything more than 50B for a meal or 100B for a big bottle of Leo they will not even entertain the idea of going.

You can tell them it's a great atmosphere, fantastic crowd, brilliant live music, excellent food or whatever it just does not matter they won't go.

To me that just makes no sense. I will happily pay more to go to a place I really like rather than go somewhere I don't like too much just because it's cheap.

The whole beauty of Thailand IMO is that you can live the sort of lifestyle that you can't have back home due to the fact Thailand is such good value for money.

Hello Mr Spade,

I totally understand and agree with what you are saying.Its just that after living in Thailand and mixing with mainly Thai people who earn slightly more than what i live on.I am just used to that way of life! I am certainly not shy ( infact " full on " ) with a full Monty Python personality and will talk to " everybody " on a daily basis just by strolling about! Now for myself i would rather catch the train to Hua Hin and back for less than " a Starbucks cup of coffee " and have hours of fun relaxing on the train meeting people and chatting with the world and there wife!

A friend insisted on taking me out for a " lavish Japanese buffet lunch " the other day ( one of these places in a shopping mall with a " conveyor belt of dishes" going round in front of me) i hate seafood but it was delicious! BUT - i would of been just as happy to have sat on a mat in the park with a cheap basic picnic lunch for a few baht! Don't you just love picnics viewers?

I could walk about in Lumpini Park all afternoon with just a 10 baht KFC Icecream and be happy! In my simple world i don't really need much to enjoy my day and i will say it again that after 50 years in this world " The best things in life are free "!!

Farang Jaidee ( dreaming about a KFC 10 baht icecream ... )

[RT85]

well if u have friends in town would be different.

what would you do everyday?

would you do part time work? help out at a friends shop? not for money but for lodging maybe?

but.. why would u want to do it? i would say 1 year is a stretch... and you should just bring your 8 k here and try out for a month.

[canarysun]

well if u have friends in town would be different.

what would you do everyday?

would you do part time work? help out at a friends shop? not for money but for lodging maybe?

but.. why would u want to do it? i would say 1 year is a stretch... and you should just bring your 8 k here and try out for a month.

Hello!

There is plenty to do in Bangkok! i l just love Bangkok ( and know it extremely well ) It doesn't have to be expensive at all.My hobbies and interests are " walking,socalizing and photography " and if i was living in Bangkok i would find myself a small but clean room with wifi for around 3,000 baht a month and i would spend every day out and about " chatting,exploring new parts & parks and taking photographs " There is so much going on to keep my diary " completely full " Lovely long days out in the sun and costs next to nothing! but depends on the type of person you are! Do you have a " wild imagination " Viewers..?

Farang Jaidee

[bernd1616]

@ canarysun forget it to explain them. this guys could and would never understand you. the only thing they unterstand is spending money without thinking. and i´m sure some of them spend the money wich they get exploiding the thai staff. thats why i said yesterday they stay here while you live here :-D

Edited September 29, 2014 by bernd1616

[RT85]

@ canarysun forget it to explain them. this guys could and would never understand you. the only thing they unterstand is spending money without thinking. and i´m sure some of them spend the money wich they get exploiding the thai staff. thats why i said yesterday they stay here while you live here :-D

exploiding sounds painful!!!!

exploit + exploding someone!

[rott]

You mean you can get a train from Naklua to Hua HIn for less than 130 baht return? I know 3rd class is cheap, I didn't realise it was that cheap.

[canarysun]

You mean you can get a train from Naklua to Hua HIn for less than 130 baht return? I know 3rd class is cheap, I didn't realise it was that cheap.

The train from Bangkok to Hua Hin is 44 baht each way ( a coffee on board is 10 baht ) so for just under 100 baht I can do all that for less than a Starbucks coffee!

[sidjameson]

Very nice

How long is the journey?

Just curious Mr Canary, do you have an interest in learning and speaking thai?

[canarysun]

Very nice

How long is the journey?

Just curious Mr Canary, do you have an interest in learning and speaking thai?

" How very droll ....."

[dogpatch55]

I honestly doubt that I would think them lovely but in any case its the location that is the problem. Most single Farang want easy access to amenities such as internet , restaurants , bars , shops and markets , entertainment etc. A fluent Thai speaker who enjoys his own company might be fine , otherwise the bus/ cab fares will soon add up.

yeah I see your point about the location and cost of transport etc... I have only stayed in a village once, just a couple of days one night, at a friend of a friends house... Have to say I liked it there, house people village very nice... Thought at the time I could live somewhere like this, just going into town for a couple of nights a week maybe.. Yeah I like a few beers in the bars etc when I am in Thailand.. If I lived there don't think I would want to be in the bars every night!! What I wouldn't want to do is stay in a apartment full of farangs, spend all day and night in a bar with same and eat nothing but farang food all the time, which is what some seem to want to do..

[canarysun]

I honestly doubt that I would think them lovely but in any case its the location that is the problem. Most single Farang want easy access to amenities such as internet , restaurants , bars , shops and markets , entertainment etc. A fluent Thai speaker who enjoys his own company might be fine , otherwise the bus/ cab fares will soon add up.

yeah I see your point about the location and cost of transport etc... I have only stayed in a village once, just a couple of days one night, at a friend of a friends house... Have to say I liked it there, house people village very nice... Thought at the time I could live somewhere like this, just going into town for a couple of nights a week maybe.. Yeah I like a few beers in the bars etc when I am in Thailand.. If I lived there don't think I would want to be in the bars every night!! What I wouldn't want to do is stay in a apartment full of farangs, spend all day and night in a bar with same and eat nothing but farang food all the time, which is what some seem to want to do..

That's why if you did live your life in the bars and eating farang food every day (kind respect to those who do....) Then life will obviously become very expensive! You can live in Bangkok from as little as 4,000 USD a year if you live a simple & basic life 8,000 USD a year living in Bangkok you could live a Rock & Roll lifestyle (part time)

The difference is buying a coffee in Starbucks for 130 baht or Thai coffee shop for 25 baht ! ( I must admit i rather like the hot chocolate viewers...) F.J

[IsaanUSA]

You mean you can get a train from Naklua to Hua HIn for less than 130 baht return? I know 3rd class is cheap, I didn't realise it was that cheap.

This thread is so way off topic. A bunch of train info can be found here, http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm , but it looks like it missing some links (such as Pattaya).

Edited September 29, 2014 by IsaanUSA

[TheSpade]

What I wouldn't want to do is stay in a apartment full of farangs, spend all day and night in a bar with same and eat nothing but farang food all the time, which is what some seem to want to do..

Yes this I find odd too

There's another thread knocking about "favourite bar in BKK" and everyone who replies said their fave bar was one of the English / Irish / Expat / Sports bars most of which are like a poor imitation of a bad bar from back home.

But there has to be a balance IMO. Living like a minimum wage Thai totally defeats the purpose of being in Thailand for me, The joy of living there is that because things are so cheap you can improve your standard of living and live better than you can back home.

If you go to Thailand and are living in a worse condition then what's the point?

Not saying canary is, he seems to enjoy his life here so fair enough, but many do seem to come here and live really miserable lives full of cheapness for the sake of being cheap

[joecoolfrog]

I agree completely , Canary does paint a rather black and white picture. I am very happy to live simply , enjoy local food and most times would choose to eat at a night market rather than a mall or flash Farang eaterie.

But the point is that I do so through choice , if I want to splurge at any time I can , too tight a budget means lack of options , there is no arguing against that fact.

[canarysun]

One of the things I really enjoy is my " daily walks " I love walking everywhere (sometimes 15 km or more ) cool tunes and a bottle of water! I love the sun beating down and stopping to chat with a few ladies enroute. Its what I enjoy doing and its a great natural way that I meet new people! The Thais do not understand the idea of " walking " and give me very strange looks ( not that I give a stuff what people think) but in there minds I guess I am a " kineow " (tight arse) because I don't pay 10 baht for a baht bus! 555

[thai20144]

One of the things I really enjoy is my " daily walks " I love walking everywhere (sometimes 15 km or more ) cool tunes and a bottle of water! I love the sun beating down and stopping to chat with a few ladies enroute. Its what I enjoy doing and its a great natural way that I meet new people! The Thais do not understand the idea of " walking " and give me very strange looks ( not that I give a stuff what people think) but in there minds I guess I am a " kineow " (tight arse) because I don't pay 10 baht for a baht bus! 555

I hope your using the whitening skin care on your walks

I suppose you swim out to Islands instead of getting the Baht Ferry?

Edited September 29, 2014 by thai20144

[IsaanUSA]

15km at 5kph = 3 hours walking in the sun, daily. I really hope you apply sunblock every single time you go walking.

This thread has derailed way off topic.

[Diplomatico]

One of the things I really enjoy is my " daily walks " I love walking everywhere (sometimes 15 km or more ) cool tunes and a bottle of water! I love the sun beating down and stopping to chat with a few ladies enroute. Its what I enjoy doing and its a great natural way that I meet new people! The Thais do not understand the idea of " walking " and give me very strange looks ( not that I give a stuff what people think) but in there minds I guess I am a " kineow " (tight arse) because I don't pay 10 baht for a baht bus! 555

I suppose you swim out to Islands instead of getting the Baht Ferry?

Thanks, that was funny.

[canarysun]

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One of the things I really enjoy is my " daily walks " I love walking everywhere (sometimes 15 km or more ) cool tunes and a bottle of water! I love the sun beating down and stopping to chat with a few ladies enroute. Its what I enjoy doing and its a great natural way that I meet new people! The Thais do not understand the idea of " walking " and give me very strange looks ( not that I give a stuff what people think) but in there minds I guess I am a " kineow " (tight arse) because I don't pay 10 baht for a baht bus! 555

I suppose you swim out to Islands instead of getting the Baht Ferry?

Thanks, that was funny. alt=laugh.png>

Yes i have to admit even though that " casual remark " was directed at me i also laughed................

[Rumblecat]

Genuine question canarysun- and not trying to set you up for some trap- but what are these ladies doing that you stop and chat with on your daily stroll? Are they working markets, sitting outside bars, selling orange juice, on lunch breaks from office..? I'm not trying to trick you, just genuinely wonder who these people are.

Not that I'm jealous or anything because people rarely speak to me.

[canarysun]

Genuine question canarysun- and not trying to set you up for some trap- but what are these ladies doing that you stop and chat with on your daily stroll? Are they working markets, sitting outside bars, selling orange juice, on lunch breaks from office..? I'm not trying to trick you, just genuinely wonder who these people are.

Not that I'm jealous or anything because people rarely speak to me.

Rumblecat...

I have never been a fan of bars ( as i don't drink ) and find bars such a dreadful way to meet people.When i go out for a stroll i meet people everywhere just by chatting.Yes i speak to shop workers,Big C,Tesco lotus,street sellers,Markets,banks,ladies shopping in supermarkets,hairdressers,on the buses ( cool 70's TV show) the trains,Temples,walking about,( not bar ladies ) Shopping Malls,The beach,literally everywhere! actually on the trains is a great place to meet people!

I am not shy " absolutely full on " most people love a friendly farang ! I have acted the fool for years! I went out for a gentle stroll this afternoon i must have got talking to about 10 - 15 people. just idle chit chat. The secret is to never be scared of rejection and just " make them laugh " and never serious ( a bit like some of our viewers....) Thais love " simple banana skin humour " ( My sense of humour is very dry and very Basil Fawlty but of course you must be careful as the Thais don't find " Fawlty Towers " funny! Interestingly enough if you ask a Thai Lady who makes them laugh most will reply " Laurel & Hardy " ......

Farang Jaidee

[bertty]

Bank workers ? do you pop in to change up a 5 pence piece ?

[joecoolfrog]

No he uses a Pc in the bank to send his posts !