What are your lives like in Thailand?

[BKKSnowBird]

Some people sell everything to come here...and then buy everything here.

After a few years, they start thinking about selling everything here and going back.

Then, when they realize what they have come back to, they start missing things in Thailand.

Reality is, for me, my income is pretty good for living a great life here..although a bit lonely.

My income is not enough, however, to live at the same level back home. (I have no back home..really)

I would have to pick a location out of one of the fifty states in the USA and show up with a backpack,

leaving a middle class life here. My wife would not be impressed.

However, in two years, I receive my social securtiy and then I can do either place, or both

(6 months on and 6 months off).

I am not overly attached to Thailand, but there is nothing remotely similar in the USA...

No credit there for two years....(have to rebuild credit from scratch). Wife would earn more there.

I recenly came back to the US and just renting an apartment was a PITA. Your credit history does not disapear if gone for two years. Mine was fine as I kept a few credit cards and just changed the addresses to my mail service. The problem was no recent rental history. Edited April 23, 2015 by BKKSnowBird

[slipperylobster]

Home is home.....I think most people settle into the lifestyles they have always lived (for the guys that come looking for girls, that takes longer, lol). If you took morning runs before, you'll probably do the same here. We all have a life routine, and so according to our economics, I think we don't live that much differently. However, there are the exceptions, the farangs that hang around the bars all day, drinking, complaining, getting a cheap hooker and trying to make themselves manly. They don't have much of a life here, but they didn't have much of a life at home, either. The one Op says he has his house, car, etc., which is great for him, but my monthly budget will never extend that far. Like the other Op, I can afford to live comfortably here (i.e. studio apartment, scooter, occasional nice night out), but a little research shows I can live back in the US for close to the same, if I live with similar conditions. In other words, if I go back to the US, I'd be riding a scooter, not a 4x4.

What I usually notice in Thailand is that many guys come over here just after retiring, and then expound on how wonderful life is, because they have this new "freedom". But they lived only a brief time as a retiree in their own country, so of course it is a different lifestyle. When you don't have to wake up to be at work every day, you don't have a house to maintain, and you no long have that "keep up with the neighbors" mentality, those years of stress melt away. Beyond that, I personally would say about 80% of the guys I know that either have just come here, vacation here, or are thinking of coming here and one main goal....get laid as often as they can. That eventually wears off, and then they settle into their lifestyle, and that will often mimic what they did at home.

One thing on this forum I have noticed are guys saying you must stay in a village, live the simple life, get a wife, that's the only way to experience the "real" Thailand. That's a crock of BS...that's like saying in the UK you have to live in the slums to know the "real" life, so everyone living in cities must be living under "false" pretentions of the country. That's just a personal preference....you want to live in the village, that's ok with me. I don't, wouldn't want that lifestyle back home either. I don't think I understand more or less of Thailand regardless of where I live. Same as my home country. East coast is different than west coast, the cold states are different than the warm ones, the beach areas are different than desert. If you think living in one area makes you understand the country better, then I think you are rather shallow in your viewpoint. Life is what you make of it, wherever you are.

Good..except the cites normally are where the slums are....and the farang owned, small village home (usually new and spacious) are comfortable and relaxing.

Nothing beats nice a big garden or orchard, pond and large country home. Give me that over your tiny condos with noisy city views and crowded streets any day. Not everyone needs to be living elbow to elbow in a hot, crowded city.

Examples....Some parts of NYC (or London)...can be just as irritating and slummy as Bangkok or Pattaya. Whereas some villages nearby...are vastly superior for living (scenery, quiet, yard, friendlier).. That should be pretty self explanatory. I don't see any false pretentions about the country being a choice for "many of us" over a small apartment next to MacDonalds.... ugh

Thailand just is not that large. Plain and simple. Live quietly...and fly down to a beach/tourist infected area...when the feeling strikes you. A thousand baht.

Edited April 23, 2015 by slipperylobster

[SoiBiker]

Give me that over your tiny condos with noisy city views and crowded streets any day. Not everyone needs to be living elbow to elbow in a hot, crowded city.

I live in a spacious, comfortable apartment in a very peaceful setting down a quiet soi in Bangkok. Don't judge city life based on the crowded bits you see as a tourist.

[slipperylobster]

Give me that over your tiny condos with noisy city views and crowded streets any day. Not everyone needs to be living elbow to elbow in a hot, crowded city.

I live in a spacious, comfortable apartment in a very peaceful setting down a quiet soi in Bangkok. Don't judge city life based on the crowded bits you see as a tourist.

I might barely fit that "tourist" description....I have lived in Asia 20 years...and hardly a visit back to the States.

Plenty of us small village lovers....here, Enjoy it, if you want.... your choice...but definitely not something I would enjoy

[SoiBiker]

Maybe not. But it definitely doesn't match your description either.

I enjoy living in the city, but I don't feel the need to denigrate the country life to justify my choice - or to make out that it's somehow not the 'real thailand' or a 'tourist zone' like so many born-again villagers seem to.

Edited April 23, 2015 by SoiBiker

[blueyeshk]

I Travelled the World and lived outside Europe for most of my live and choose for the past 4 years Thailand as my base, it's in most part a comfortable live here but I realize I spent to much time here - there is still another much more nicer Asia out there in regards of mentality and attitude which you easily forget if you stay to long here. Thailand is a nice country but Thais are difficult to live with over a longer period so it comes at a cost.

[i claudius]

My day

homemade bread from last night - fried egg, hash brown and bacon - HP of course

then a young lady from the internet came to visit me this afternoon

and then I went out for dinner and had this veg thali which was 150b

think i'll go for a swim now and also the gym before going out for a few beers... this is a typical day

With all that crap you eat, I don't

think it'll be your typical day for long.

Wonder if the internet chicks will visit

you in intensive care

He may end up in intensive care but what a journey there,do you think the journey would be better spent sitting in a cold bed sit in Britain watching day time tv,?

[Expat Brad]

All others should stay home? Why? People

can live here perfectly comfortably on 30K

a month. OK so I admit I couldn't in a million

years but everyone's different and if someone

can, they ought to give it a shot.

Nothing more ridiculous than people who've

moved to Thailand to make their incomes

stretch further looking down on others as if

they've suddenly become wealthy.

Agree, yeah your 90,000 baht pension will give you a great life here but back home........ in a room all alone & shopping on food vouchers I suppose.

OP since you live a quiet type of life Thailand will suit you as it certainly has me. Except for still having to work for my keep I am more than happy with life in LOS. I earn 30,000 baht I rent a house, have a car, motorbike, eat out several nights p/wk & have been on 2 domestic holidays just this year Oh & a GF. Being happy isn't about how much cash you have, it's your choice to be happy with what you do have......

[Domenico Ernesto Esposito]

I live in The North East region (Isaan) near Nong Khai. I am retired, and I married a Thai woman (a retired teacher) four years ago. We have a nice life together we both love to take care about our garden and we both love traveling. Every 3 month we have a trip in some of the Countries around Thailand and once for year we go to Italy where we stay for one month. We enjoy our life and I think that Thai people are wonderful and living in Thailand, for me, is the best life.

[lostoday]

I got a big screen TV and Satellite and an awesome sound system, new AC. Sometimes I just kick back crank up the volume and watch a couple of movies in a row. In the West I worked too much to see many movies so now the old ones are new to me. I try to walk 6000 paces a day (new Samsung phone with pedometer). And then that internet girl comes over.......

I don't like to iron but discovered the laundries are rough on my clothes. So I bought a washer and do my own washing. Still that left the problem of ironing. I was looking a bit frumpy till I bought a steamer. The steamer is great and it kills fleas and bed bugs too.

Now it's mango season and the fresh mangoes are almost free as are the potatoes and tomatoes right now.

Tonight maybe I'll go out for dinner and shopping at the mall. The mall is fun; watching the girls who dress up because they know you will be watching them.

The eye contact thing is fun here. But I won't spoil it for the newbies. You can learn for yourselves.

[northernphil]

Came here on an organised bike touring trip in 2004. 3 days were spent near the end of the holiday in Hua-Hin. Got shown around a tourist gheto ,on arriving back in the uk I phoned the gheto builder and said " Start building " Had enough of back home before day 1 was over. By 2006 I had enough of the gheto and sold up and moved north , about 5 mates outside City Limits , 2 pubs and one more being constucted . T/Lotus across the rice fields , mountains all around , wonderfull ,all I need , no suicides every week ,no drunk ferlung walking about . Oh 3 bottles of large Leo in my pub ..189B. All on a Uk pension. Oh this is the sleeping lady .

[perdido]

....please be more specific!!! what's this 30K you've just tossed into the arena? Do you mean circa £600.00, per month?

When the earth was created, the creators have destined Thailand as a retirement paradise for long-noses, as long as the funds come rolling in from overseas in form of hard currency.

Long-noses (employed by an European/US company, on a long term contract, fine).

All others should stay home, unless they have an uncontrollable urge to work for "peanuts". A live in Paradise can not be financed by "Peanuts". Unfortunately.

Cheers..

All others should stay home? Why? People

can live here perfectly comfortably on 30K

a month. OK so I admit I couldn't in a million

years but everyone's different and if someone

can, they ought to give it a shot.

Nothing more ridiculous than people who've

moved to Thailand to make their incomes

stretch further looking down on others as if

they've suddenly become wealthy.

[NoshowJones]

Give me that over your tiny condos with noisy city views and crowded streets any day. Not everyone needs to be living elbow to elbow in a hot, crowded city.

I live in a spacious, comfortable apartment in a very peaceful setting down a quiet soi in Bangkok. Don't judge city life based on the crowded bits you see as a tourist.

I don't often agree with your posts SoiBiker, but this one I do.

[ChrisB87]

Interesting.

[pchansmorn]

My wife & I retired here 16 months ago,we came on vacation for 20 years before deciding, and we bought a condo while we were still working in the US so when we moved to Thailand the condo was paid for, all we needed was a car which we really over paid for, we didn't know about the tax on new cars I really regret that purchase, but got the car I wanted Subaru XV. First time we ever bought a new car and had to pay cash for it no one was going to finance it for us. At 60 years old in Thailand no one will loan you money because they don't expect you to live long enough to pay it back. But we live well here, eat out all the time, travel whenever we want, don't worry about money. If we had to live in the US, things would be very different, so we really like it here. The one thing that everyone should be aware of when they come here is Thailand does not have a Safety Net, which means anything can happen here, like stuff falling from buildings, getting run down by cars, falling in holes, being knocked down by motor scooters, and so on, so you must be careful everyday. Most people in Thailand also do not have Common Sense, so lot's of stupid things happen. The only thing that I dislike is driving here because there are no Rules, everyone does what ever they want including scooters, really get's my blood pressure up, so I avoid driving as much as I can. And you most Ignore Politics or you will be upset all the time. But you must always have a plan B , cause this is a 3rd world country and you never really know what might happen.

[perdido]

You were a teacher in Thailand?

You will understand my answer, when I say,

"I am fine, thank you. and you?"

Seriously,

It's a s good or as bad as you make it here.

Up to you!

...same anywhere;one can be as happy as one makes one's mind up to be-regardless of externalities.......

[akentryan]

Wrote my epitaph today.

Here lies AKR who died in Thailand living a life filled with joy and feeling and no regrets.

[Bernard Flint]

12 years, so my home, i hate going back to uk to see family.A very normal life generaly,and if i wanted to go somewhere else, i have the funds, so nothing stops me from being honest with myslef, i love Thailand.

[dotpoom]

Can't say I ever give any consideration to what lives other people are living....can't really see any point to it.....what I'm doing with my own life is enough to keep me busy.

[YeahSiam]

With all that crap you eat, I don't

think it'll be your typical day for long.

Wonder if the internet chicks will visit

you in intensive care

He may end up in intensive care but what a journey there,do you think the journey would be better spent sitting in a cold bed sit in Britain watching day time tv,?

Sorry but I doubt he'll be saying "Wow, what a

journey" while waiting for a triple heart bypass or

succumbing to diabetes.My point was that his

diet could end up putting a major crimp in a

lifestyle he appears to enjoy. You can have a

great journey on which you ate and drank

sensibly most of the time.

All others should stay home? Why? People

can live here perfectly comfortably on 30K

a month. OK so I admit I couldn't in a million

years but everyone's different and if someone

can, they ought to give it a shot.

Nothing more ridiculous than people who've

moved to Thailand to make their incomes

stretch further looking down on others as if

they've suddenly become wealthy.

....please be more specific!!! what's this 30K you've just tossed into the arena? Do you mean circa £600.00, per month?

The 30K referred to the "working for peanuts"

comment Swissie made because that's what's

considered low pay for a farang. Usually

associated with English teachers, I believe

[Rooo]

Some off topic, trollish posts & replies quoting them removed.

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Expat forum

[marko kok prong]

My day

homemade bread from last night - fried egg, hash brown and bacon - HP of course

then a young lady from the internet came to visit me this afternoon

and then I went out for dinner and had this veg thali which was 150b

think i'll go for a swim now and also the gym before going out for a few beers... this is a typical day

With all that crap you eat, I don't

think it'll be your typical day for long.

Wonder if the internet chicks will visit

you in intensive care

Better than mama noodles though.

[charliewolf]

Umm, Lets just think...ummm, shitty britain or Thailand with babes...umm, shitty Britain, or Thailand with beautiful girls and food, and babes....britain working, or doing what the fck i want in Thailand. Oh i don't know, so hard....ok, Thailand, there i said it.

Yep, life's pretty good here, got everything i need here, even PG tips tea bags now, don't take much to make me happy!!

It's in Shitty Great Britain where you earned the money for the girls to love you in Thailand, because without it in poor Thailand you would be sad and lonely like you were in Shitty Britain. It's that great there in poor Thailand, all the girls want to live in Shitty Britain and cling on to guys like you.

Don't blame Britain for your sad life, look in the mirror and if it's that good there get on with it. See you when you run out of money and then love Handsome Man!

[charliewolf]

My day

homemade bread from last night - fried egg, hash brown and bacon - HP of course

then a young lady from the internet came to visit me this afternoon

and then I went out for dinner and had this veg thali which was 150b

think i'll go for a swim now and also the gym before going out for a few beers... this is a typical day

looks a lovely room lol

[nickmanchester2]

My day

homemade bread from last night - fried egg, hash brown and bacon - HP of course

then a young lady from the internet came to visit me this afternoon

and then I went out for dinner and had this veg thali which was 150b

think i'll go for a swim now and also the gym before going out for a few beers... this is a typical day

looks a lovely room lol

well, i guess she does not earn very much money, you should not mock her for that.

[charliewolf]

Let's not get carried away here guys, Thailand is only good for what it is.

Take the easy girls out of Thailand and you wouldn't want to touch it.

They wouldn't want to touch you too if you didn't have money.

You can also get nice beaches in other countries and not 6000 miles away!

Have a nice day Handsome Man!

[SoiBiker]

Let's not get carried away here guys, Thailand is only good for what it is.

Take the easy girls out of Thailand and you wouldn't want to touch it.

They wouldn't want to touch you too if you didn't have money.

You can also get nice beaches in other countries and not 6000 miles away!

Have a nice day Handsome Man!

Speak for yourself. Not all of us came here for the girls.

Seems like those who came here because they actually liked the place tend to be happier than those who just wanted to get laid.

[YeahSiam]

With all that crap you eat, I don't

think it'll be your typical day for long.

Wonder if the internet chicks will visit

you in intensive care

Better than mama noodles though.

Poor marko. Still burning, eh?

Umm, Lets just think...ummm, shitty britain or Thailand with babes...umm, shitty Britain, or Thailand with beautiful girls and food, and babes....britain working, or doing what the fck i want in Thailand. Oh i don't know, so hard....ok, Thailand, there i said it.

Yep, life's pretty good here, got everything i need here, even PG tips tea bags now, don't take much to make me happy!!

Love it when people call it Great Shitain

just because they had to work and

couldn't get nice women to go with 'em

[charliewolf]

Let's not get carried away here guys, Thailand is only good for what it is.

Take the easy girls out of Thailand and you wouldn't want to touch it.

They wouldn't want to touch you too if you didn't have money.

You can also get nice beaches in other countries and not 6000 miles away!

Have a nice day Handsome Man!

Speak for yourself. Not all of us came here for the girls.

Seems like those who came here because they actually liked the place tend to be happier than those who just wanted to get laid.

Fair point and right with some as I used to have a mate who came here and fell in love every five minutes but was more unhappy when they left him for another, though I think the majority go there to be laid.