A Couple Of Questions.

[Mr Jones]

A couple of questions I hope you can answer for me that will help me decide on living in Thailand

I have been reading lots of posts regarding staying in Thailand long term but a little confusion has left me bamboozled.

1 rent, what will it cost to rent a 1 bed furnished flat in Pattaya not a dump say mid range?

2 can I live comfortably on 50,000 Baht a month. Rent, food, booze, everything.

3 I’m not looking for a live in wife/girlfriend

4 visa runs how much it total and how often.

My apologies if these questions have been asked before.

Les

[banchang]

1. 5 to 10 K

2. yes

3. They will look for you dont worry

4.2,000 baht very 30 days

[Mr Jones]

Thanks for your very quick reply Banchang.

I will be burning my bridges so I need to be sure.

Les

[Mr Jones]

Booking my 3 weeks holiday in November right now.

Se you in the PUB/S

Les

[ZZZ]

Medium 1 bedroom with utilities 20,000/month

Get a place within walking distance to where you will hang-out to save on transport cost.

Breakfast at home, one pig-out meal a day at a all you can eat place 6,000/month

Visa run every 90 days, about 1000/month

That leaves you with 23,000/month or 766/day. Average price for a beer about 75Bath or 10 beers per day.

[banchang]

oops did i say every 30 days

yes its 90 days

[Mr Jones]

Thanks for the replies; my pension is 60000/month so I can live on that, I have a few bob in the bank to see to the unexpected, thankfully I don’t drink much beer but brandy is another matter.

Les

[Artisan]

oops did i say every 30 days

yes its 90 days

Depends on your visa.......maybe every 90 days + extension time

[Artisan]

Medium 1 bedroom with utilities 20,000/month

..way, way too much!! More like 8,000 to 10,000 baht/month, including electricity and water

[ZZZ]

Medium 1 bedroom with utilities 20,000/month

..way, way too much!! More like 8,000 to 10,000 baht/month, including electricity and water

I think you are talking about a studio for those prices, but anything is possible depending on what it looks like and location.

If you like brandy you must try the local brandy very cheap and very smooth, itäs called Mekhong

[Chang_paarp]

Thanks for the replies; my pension is 60000/month so I can live on that, I have a few bob in the bank to see to the unexpected, thankfully I don’t drink much beer but brandy is another matter.

Les

Are you over 50?

If so look at getting a retirement visa. Not allowed to work, but do not have to do visa runs, just report to immigration every 90 days. Check ut the Visa section for information.

[Mr Jones]

Just spent another hour or so in the visa thread.

Yes I am over 50 and have no intention what-so-ever of working, I have done my bit.

The retirement visa looks the better option, there is a Thai visa office in Liverpool so I will go and have a chat there.

I have not been to Thailand since the mid 80s (5 visits on a ship) with my girlfriend to keep me pure and untouched, (drat) just realised it been 20 years. Don’t seem that long since I was visiting temples and floating markets while my mates where down the rags. B*****ds

A studio will do me I’m not that interested in luxury just a decent bed a shower fridge television the usual stuff and only half hour cleaning and someone to do my washing and ironing.

I digress. thanks everyone

Les

[monsieurhappy]

Thanks for your very quick reply Banchang.

I will be burning my bridges so I need to be sure.

Les

For goodness sake man! Don't burn your bridges until you are 100% sure. The place has changed a lot since the 80's and 3 weeks in Nov. won't be long enough to aclimatise. Have your holiday and see how you feel, then try a 3 - 6 month stint. A holiday is so much different from being here permanently. For one thing, an apartment can suddenly become a very small space after a few weeks, I for one would feel very claustrophobic if I couldn't wander from room to room and out into the garden. I know one can go out everyday and night but there're sometimes when you just want to put your feet up and watch TV or use the computer. You must take all this into consideration. Just take your time!

[Artisan]

If you like brandy you must try the local brandy very cheap and very smooth, itäs called Mekhong

"Mekhong" is rum...the local brandy is called "Regency" and it's not bad.

[Artisan]

The retirement visa looks the better option, there is a Thai visa office in Liverpool so I will go and have a chat there.

Les

First, you'll need to obtain a Non-Immigrant (O) Visa from the Thai Consulate in Liverpool; single entry or one-year multiple entry. Then you can apply, in Thailand, for a retirement extension lasting 12 months from the original date of entry to Thailand. After that, you can apply for yearly extensions based on retirement criteria.

You can rent a studio condo (to your specification) for about 6,000 baht to 8,000 baht a month.

[Meg_2003]

QUOTE(Artisan @ 2006-08-10 22:23:51)

QUOTE(ZZZ @ 2006-08-10 12:49:58)

Medium 1 bedroom with utilities 20,000/month

..way, way too much!! More like 8,000 to 10,000 baht/month, including electricity and water

I think you are talking about a studio for those prices, but anything is possible depending on what it looks like and location.

If you like brandy you must try the local brandy very cheap and very smooth, itäs called Mekhong

1 Bedroom with Utilities will NOT be 20,000 a month. I am paying 5,000 baht a month for a 1 bedroom LUXURY condo, fully furnashed with air-con, bath and marble bathroom. Rooms available in the same complex for alot cheaper but maybe not as luxury.

Check out Nirun Condo on soi Arunothai, off Pattaya Klang. Security, 2 swimming pools, shops bars and restaurants all around the condo. Prices 3,500 - 9,000 monthly depending on room size.

Hope this helps

[Rimmer]

When you arrive get the British High Comm to certify your pension in the form of a letter. Also any other investment income you may have. It will come in usefull when you apply for your retirement visa, also they will register your name on their computer which entitles you to recieve their stupid letters about bird flu.

[Mr Jones]

Once again thanks for your most valued advice.

When I said “burning my bridges” I think I was a little dramatic, what I meant was I will be selling my house and won’t have much to come home to, kids grown up, wife efed off years ago, my mates are all acting like OAPs, all in all I’m just bored with the UK life.

As for booze well I don’t care if its rum, rhum, brandy, gin, and I have been known to have vodka.

I have been in Goa for 8 weeks this year to see if Goa was the place for me, unfortunately not, the Goan people are excellent but cow shit every where and the taxi drivers drive you up the wall as do the tat sellers, its very cheep to live I could easily live off my pension, but Goa is not for me.

A one bed flat will be luxury for me, I live in a 4 bed house with large gardens back and front, I dream of getting up in the mornings and all I have to do is, shower and make coffee then decide who is going to cook my food,

Any how the flight is booked for Nov 1st for 3 weeks so I’m hoping to see some of you folk in Pattaya. Looking for a hotel now so many to look at.

Les

[jimmy5L]

These questions have been asked already a million times; I asked them about 2 months ago, you get always the same answer:

Some can’t live on 100.000 bht / month, some can live easy on 40.000 / month! (Most teachers live on 40/50.000 per month and are happy!)

I think: living modestly you can, problem is what are you going to do all day, cause that’s going to cost you money: play golf, go fishing, internet, drinking, etc

I’m planning to make the move end off next year, also with around 1200€ : apartment between 2nd and 3th road will be about 20.000 including elec en water, get a moped + gas will be around 4000, food and some drinks 16.000 which leaves you 10.000 for security money and visarun

But what happens in a couple years if the value off Thai baht goes up and you only get like 40.000??

How about insurance?, or like you get run over by a car?

I advice you to check it out first for like 3 or 6 month’s!

[Bruprince]

Just spent another hour or so in the visa thread.

Yes I am over 50 and have no intention what-so-ever of working, I have done my bit.

The retirement visa looks the better option, there is a Thai visa office in Liverpool so I will go and have a chat there.

I have not been to Thailand since the mid 80s (5 visits on a ship) with my girlfriend to keep me pure and untouched, (drat) just realised it been 20 years. Don’t seem that long since I was visiting temples and floating markets while my mates where down the rags. B*****ds

A studio will do me I’m not that interested in luxury just a decent bed a shower fridge television the usual stuff and only half hour cleaning and someone to do my washing and ironing.

I digress. thanks everyone

Les

The best place in the UK to obtain a Non Imm O is the Thai Consulate in Hull and you can download all the forms requires at www.thaiconsul-uk.com/visas.asp

[Bruprince]

When you arrive get the British High Comm to certify your pension in the form of a letter. Also any other investment income you may have. It will come in usefull when you apply for your retirement visa, also they will register your name on their computer which entitles you to recieve their stupid letters about bird flu.

I have just had my pension certified by the British Consul based in Pattaya and it costs 1760B.

[Chang_paarp]

Once again thanks for your most valued advice.

When I said “burning my bridges” I think I was a little dramatic, what I meant was I will be selling my house and won’t have much to come home to, kids grown up, wife efed off years ago, my mates are all acting like OAPs, all in all I’m just bored with the UK life.

snip

Les

As others have said don't burn bridges, or sell houses.

Rent out the house and add the income to your offshore nestegg. Keep it as a bolthole if LOS goes pear-shaped. It can be usefull asset in UK. If after some extended time you feel the need to sell the house then do so later, but in the short term keep it.

Others will let you know the wisdom of keeping money in more stable economies, and only bringing into LOS what you need for immediate expences. There have been a number of threads on this in the business forum.