Expats Here on a Permanent Basis: How did you pull it off?

[lostoday]

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I came when I was young, went home got an education and made enough money to come back, years later.

I chose the path of least resistance in that it is a lot easier to save money in the West than in Thailand. My hats off to the fellows who have figured out an answer to the young fellows question and have stayed in Thailand.

I think it's easier to save here. Your essentials - rent, food etc - are much less of a drain here so, provided you're earning a decent salary, you can put more away without having to live the life of painful austerity if you wanted to do that back home.

I came when I was young, went home got an education and made enough money to come back, years later.

I chose the path of least resistance in that it is a lot easier to save money in the West than in Thailand. My hats off to the fellows who have figured out an answer to the young fellows question and have stayed in Thailand.

Sure if you're working a job paying £100,000/$150,000 a year WITHOUT a family, you'll be able to save and live a reasonably pleasant life but most people don't make that.

The goalposts have been moved in the West. The things the older generation took for granted - a free university education (UK), a well-paying career or a decent job on a production plant, relatively cheap and affordable housing - that schit is OVER.

Now it's part-time, zero-hours contracts and £350,000 for a 1 bed Victorian conversion in a decent part of London.

Today's younger people have to be far more willing to take risks or face being washed away in the tsunami of false hope Western governments are selling them.

OP, live life now. Forget the "slow & steady wins the race" ethos.

It doesn't work any more unless you're extremely well-connected

"The goalposts have been moved in the West."

Very true. The idea of getting a job that offers a "guaranteed" retirement plan with defined pension benefits & health coverage for the balance of your life is rapidly disappearing. Many of us who are now retired here do rely to some extent on a safe pension & health coverage & government social security, topped up with income from personal investments. Some of this was predicated on the expectation that most beneficiaries would work until they were 65 and then drop dead soon thereafter.

I have a number of friends back in the US who are living quite well in retirement based on this. I also know a few who are still working at 70, have debt and virtually nothing saved, including one doctor. For the majority of young people these days, even those who have "good" jobs that supposedly put them in the ranks of the middle class. any hope of eventual retirement will depend almost totally on what they manage to save on their own. Even the pittance from government Social Security is looking increasingly shaky. And the one "sure" investment into which they've been paying a substantial amount each month, their home, is unlikely to be the cash cow they once imagined it to be.

And, considering the horrendous personal and governmental debt being accrued as people & governments live off borrowed money, inflation in the not too distant future is likely to hit the fan with devastating effect.

The reliable flood of retirees coming to places like Thailand (and Florida & other retirement havens) to spend, spend, spend in their so-called golden years is likely to slow to a trickle.

Average SS in USA is 66,000 baht per month. Can do Thailand on that just fine.

Many do it on half that in good shape. Who you kidding?

Edited May 10, 2015 by lostoday

[Suradit69]

OP do it now... Why the hell wait until you are too old to enjoy it here.. Have many friends mid twenties here... Loving life.

Sent from my c64

"Have many friends mid twenties here... Loving life."

The trick is to be able to love life when you're 20, 40 and 70.

Your thesis is based on the assumption that those of us who retired here spent the previous 50 years working in a coal mine twelve hours a day and living in a cardboard box under a bridge and now we're living on life-support awaiting our next Botox injections. You can love life in many places and have Thailand as one more in a succession of locations where the loving continues.

When I was quite young I wanted to go to Disney Land and never leave. I thought my parents were quite cruel when they didn't endorse that plan. Then I discovered Snow White worked for minimum wage and spent her off hours hitting the bottle. I raised my goals and found fun existed outside of theme parks.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Suradit69

[SiSePuede419]

"Ihear this all the time about you guys making money on line. I always wondered how you guys do this. do you sell products?"

Do you wonder why so many people in Thailand are so vague about where their money came from, 555?

"I sold a business"

Well, where did you get the money for the business? I fell out of the right womb, said no "self-made" millionaire, ever.

So far, it looks like the only honest answers the OP got are "English teacher" and "fell out of the right womb"...

555+

Ya ya we all know you like kicking people but how did you make it full time in Thailand?

I'll admit it: I fell out of the right womb.

If my mother lived in a slum in Calcutta/Mexico City/RIO/Lagos/Etc., I wouldn't be here in Thailand having this conversation..

[SiSePuede419]

"Ihear this all the time about you guys making money on line. I always wondered how you guys do this. do you sell products?"

Do you wonder why so many people in Thailand are so vague about where their money came from, 555?

"I sold a business"

Well, where did you get the money for the business? I fell out of the right womb, said no "self-made" millionaire, ever.

So far, it looks like the only honest answers the OP got are "English teacher" and "fell out of the right womb"...

555+

Ya ya we all know you like kicking people but how did you make it full time in Thailand?

I'll admit it: I fell out of the right womb.

If my mother lived in a slum in Calcutta/Mexico City/RIO/Lagos/Etc., I wouldn't be here in Thailand having this conversation..

[yellowboat]

When I was quite young I wanted to go to Disney Land and never leave. I thought my parents were quite cruel when they didn't endorse that plan. Then I discovered Snow White worked for minimum wage and spent her off hours hitting the bottle. I raised my goals and found fun existed outside of theme parks.

Thailand is not called "The Adult's Dinseyland" for nothing. The good general is the park's manager after relieving the last one in a hostile take over. The first thing he did was increase the price of admissions for some people. That has not been going well and many just went to the competing park next door.

My favorite is the Thailand "Elite" card. That just screams theme park.

[rayongchelsea]

Been here since 21. You need to be educated, skill sets required, connections and a whole lot of luck. I am now in my late 50's. I can guarantee you that to get the best Thailand experience it is better to be young of that there is no doubt. I am not supportive of the philosophy of work hard save money, come here when old..opportunities will arise, if you don't try you will never know. I have worked hard and saved here , put my child through international school etc..and am way better off than most expats coming here at 60 plus.

Get educated at a minimum.

[billd766]

PR in Thailand is not a lottery, it's a very clear cut process that has rules which if followed result in a PR card. I got mine and it cost me nothing more than the simple application and processing fee which is published. The notion that you need to be rich is simply untrue.

Except PR is simply unavailable to those of us who retired young, or are married here and working outside the kingdom.

It is not available to us knackered old farts either even though we get more than 40,000 baht a month income.

Edited May 10, 2015 by billd766

[ev1lchris]

Great input at both ends of the spectrum.

I am going back to the USA to enroll myself in courses and learn skills that will let me telecommute on the job.

I want to come back to Thailand while still young but if I have to spend one to three years in the USA building up my business and career that's okay.

I recently turned down a job paying 35,000 baht a month.

I would love to stay here and just party and have sex all the time. Plus I find day to day life better here than the States.

I'm sacrificing being in Thailand for short term so that in the long term I will have the independence I need to travel and live where I want. Thailand is great but I want to also experience life in Japan and maybe Philippines.

[SiSePuede419]

"Shows you how to get jobs, setup a profile, find a skill and all that."

I'm really curious what kind of "skills" you're going to "find" (learn?) here in Thailand.

Wait. Don't answer that. Your reply could probably be used against you in a court of law, 555

[lostoday]

"Shows you how to get jobs, setup a profile, find a skill and all that."

I'm really curious what kind of "skills" you're going to "find" (learn?) here in Thailand.

Wait. Don't answer that. Your reply could probably be used against you in a court of law, 555

I know a guy who was a good teacher he partnered with a Thai guy and they now own a group of language schools and do quite well.

I know another who started selling advertising and bought a hotel in Pattaya he now owns a few restaurants and hotels. (Minor Corp)

I know another guy who opened a book stall in Chonburi and started buying property.

He's 56 now. Best known as the founder of Oishi group. Last time I looked he had 640 million.

[Cypress Hill]

"Shows you how to get jobs, setup a profile, find a skill and all that."

I'm really curious what kind of "skills" you're going to "find" (learn?) here in Thailand.

Wait. Don't answer that. Your reply could probably be used against you in a court of law, 555

Heard of the internet? Infinite repository of tutorials and self-teaching materials in practically any field you could think of.

Formal education isn't everything - where has it gotten those mopes stacking shelves on zero-hour contracts at Sainsbury's and Tesco?

[i claudius]

I Have " retired" a couple of times in my life,luckily I was originally left some money,and have always been able to" make a few bob" on the side and have got away with it ,lol,my life has been one long good time luckily,and eventually I met and married my present wife and settled down,I have also been lucky in that I have a good family with money,here and in Thailand,the wife has a good job and hopefully we have enough money so that when I die ,she has plenty left,as she is a good bit younger than me,God life has been kind to me.

[NeverSure]

Work on having a positive outlook on life and stay motivated toward some real goals. Often the biggest critics and whingers aren't the winners. They see everything from their own perspective and are therefore unable to get up and get moving. Don't blame everything in life on other people or circumstance because the truth is that you are the problem. There are many people out there today making it big while whingers believe it can't be done and of course for them it can't.

Don't marry a gal who will be a financial drag and give you children who will also drain finances. Marry up if you just have to get married. Seriously.

Be sure that the career you choose is something you enjoy doing. Don't get a degree in computer programming if you don't like details. If you want IT but like concepts rather than detail, go for systems administration or even graphics.

Go one step beyond your career goals in education. Instead of the required bachelor's degree go on for the master's. For instance I know a nurse who went on for her masters and now she's the Director of Nursing for a large hospital making twice the money that any nurse does. She also works in the executive suite in her nice office instead of sticking needles in people like she would have.

Learn an important foreign language like one of the dialects of British English, LOL. Seriously, you don't have to live in China for Mandarin Chinese to increase your value to an international company. It could open a lot of doors from hiring to promotion to international assignment.

Learn how to polish yourself so you can mingle with successful people. Let me tell you something about the successful people that you need and want to mingle with:

When you see them go over there and stand there. They will make room for you. They actually are just people. If you think you don't belong, you won't. One of the reasons they are successful is that they think they belong and give off that aura even if humbly.

Cheers

[BKKSnowBird]

I to am curious to what skills are needed to work online? It seems web developers are already tripping over each other.

Edited May 11, 2015 by BKKSnowBird

[SiSePuede419]

"Heard of the internet? Infinite repository of tutorials and self-teaching materials in practically any field you could think of."

The vast majority of information on the internet is out of date and oversimplified and will end up costing you money if you try to make a business out of it.

Most textbook information is only an introduction and is usually 10-15 years out of date.

If you want to create a new service or product, you're going to want to do something that's never been done before.

That's too difficult for the average HTML Jockey.

Second best choice is to do something that's already been done before, but just do it better than your competition.

This is Thailand, so that shouldn't be too hard to do.

555

[Cypress Hill]

"Heard of the internet? Infinite repository of tutorials and self-teaching materials in practically any field you could think of."

The vast majority of information on the internet is out of date and oversimplified and will end up costing you money if you try to make a business out of it.

Most textbook information is only an introduction and is usually 10-15 years out of date.

If you want to create a new service or product, you're going to want to do something that's never been done before.

That's too difficult for the average HTML Jockey.

Second best choice is to do something that's already been done before, but just do it better than your competition.

This is Thailand, so that shouldn't be too hard to do.

555

What a load of horse schit!

Notwithstanding the fact that you won't have seen or read even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of 0.00001% of all the content on the internet, you're assuming that I was referring to free resources.

There's plenty of paid content that many have used to enormous advantage - myself included.

I'll leave you to carry on talking out of your backside and laughing at your own "jokes"

[GarryP]

Been here since 21. You need to be educated, skill sets required, connections and a whole lot of luck. I am now in my late 50's. I can guarantee you that to get the best Thailand experience it is better to be young of that there is no doubt. I am not supportive of the philosophy of work hard save money, come here when old..opportunities will arise, if you don't try you will never know. I have worked hard and saved here , put my child through international school etc..and am way better off than most expats coming here at 60 plus.

Get educated at a minimum.

I came just shy of 20. No skill sets, no connections, no uni degree, but quite a bit of luck. No UK pension but not too concerned about that as I am able to save half my net salary, which is quite a decent amount. 52 now. Expect I will be doing something in the way of work to keep myself occupied until the day I die, but certainly not for the money. My chief selling point is that I am fluent in the spoken language.

[SiSePuede419]

"There's plenty of paid content that many have used to enormous advantage - myself included."

555. Sure, scam artist content.

Why would someone put "content" on the internet to "help" someone else make money, in direct competition with themselves, 555?

Hint: It's almost 100% certainly a scam. The scam artist makes more money providing the scam content than following their own advise.

I can tell you're a wet-behind-the-ears 29 year old HTML jockey who thinks I am as naive as you think I am, 5555+

[Cypress Hill]

"There's plenty of paid content that many have used to enormous advantage - myself included."

555. Sure, scam artist content.

Why would someone put "content" on the internet to "help" someone else make money, in direct competition with themselves, 555?

Hint: It's almost 100% certainly a scam. The scam artist makes more money providing the scam content than following their own advise.

I can tell you're a wet-behind-the-ears 29 year old HTML jockey who thinks I am as naive as you think I am, 5555+

And I can tell you're just ticked off that other people can see ways to support themselves that you're too blinkered or too set in your ways to acknowledge. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist, right?

The thing is you probably know deep down that the whole "online thing" isn't a crock - there really ARE people living very well because of the internet but you're resentful because you spent 40 years as a USPS mail man to get here and it pi55es you off that others are taking a shorter route to independence while you try to convince everyone that you're a minimalist by choice.

How tragic

[marko kok prong]

"There's plenty of paid content that many have used to enormous advantage - myself included."

555. Sure, scam artist content.

Why would someone put "content" on the internet to "help" someone else make money, in direct competition with themselves, 555?

Hint: It's almost 100% certainly a scam. The scam artist makes more money providing the scam content than following their own advise.

I can tell you're a wet-behind-the-ears 29 year old HTML jockey who thinks I am as naive as you think I am, 5555+

And I can tell you're just ticked off that other people can see ways to support themselves that you're too blinkered or too set in your ways to acknowledge. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist, right?

The thing is you probably know deep down that the whole "online thing" isn't a crock - there really ARE people living very well because of the internet but you're resentful because you spent 40 years as a USPS mail man to get here and it pi55es you off that others are taking a shorter route to independence while you try to convince everyone that you're a minimalist by choice.

How tragic

Time for the cold shower Ch?

[Cypress Hill]

"There's plenty of paid content that many have used to enormous advantage - myself included."

555. Sure, scam artist content.

Why would someone put "content" on the internet to "help" someone else make money, in direct competition with themselves, 555?

Hint: It's almost 100% certainly a scam. The scam artist makes more money providing the scam content than following their own advise.

I can tell you're a wet-behind-the-ears 29 year old HTML jockey who thinks I am as naive as you think I am, 5555+

And I can tell you're just ticked off that other people can see ways to support themselves that you're too blinkered or too set in your ways to acknowledge. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist, right?

The thing is you probably know deep down that the whole "online thing" isn't a crock - there really ARE people living very well because of the internet but you're resentful because you spent 40 years as a USPS mail man to get here and it pi55es you off that others are taking a shorter route to independence while you try to convince everyone that you're a minimalist by choice.

How tragic

Time for the cold shower Ch?

I'm sure that makes sense to SOMEONE

[marko kok prong]

Well you do seem to be getting a bit 'overwrought'.

[marko kok prong]

I mean old chap,i was merely concerned,you know the old blood pressure,sweat pouring off as you pound the keys,blood sugar rising ect.

[Cypress Hill]

I mean old chap,i was merely concerned,you know the old blood pressure,sweat pouring off as you pound the keys,blood sugar rising ect.

Zzzzzz

Honestly, I've obliterated you so many times, it's gotten boring

[Stan42]

I was born.

That's it OP. That's all the effort I put in. I'm not a teacher and not retired but still enjoy a carefree life in Bangkok. I have full dual citizenship with all the rights that they bring. I support myself through:

1. The greatest welfare state: Germany (heck we invented the welfare system in the late 19th century)

2. Online work from home mostly for US customers.

3. Some real estate I own in Lop Buri which I rent out.

Put all 3 together and I have a decent income that allows me to take 4 days a week off while living under expat standards in downtown Suk.

Feels good man

[ericthai]

Been here since 21. You need to be educated, skill sets required, connections and a whole lot of luck. I am now in my late 50's. I can guarantee you that to get the best Thailand experience it is better to be young of that there is no doubt. I am not supportive of the philosophy of work hard save money, come here when old..opportunities will arise, if you don't try you will never know. I have worked hard and saved here , put my child through international school etc..and am way better off than most expats coming here at 60 plus.

Get educated at a minimum.

i agree, OP go home get an education and come back while you are still young. I started coming to Asia for work when I was in my early 30's. I moved permanently to Thailand when i was in my late 30's however i had an engineering degree and was able to get contracts or full-time employment at factories. You do need to network to find jobs, but it can be done. Oil industry is good field too. I know allot of oil workers that spend their 30+ days off in Thailand.

[ev1lchris]

I was born.

That's it OP. That's all the effort I put in. I'm not a teacher and not retired but still enjoy a carefree life in Bangkok. I have full dual citizenship with all the rights that they bring. I support myself through:

1. The greatest welfare state: Germany (heck we invented the welfare system in the late 19th century)

2. Online work from home mostly for US customers.

3. Some real estate I own in Lop Buri which I rent out.

Put all 3 together and I have a decent income that allows me to take 4 days a week off while living under expat standards in downtown Suk.

Feels good man

What kind of online work?

[SoiBiker]

Came here a long way short of the traditional retirement age. I'm able to remain in the country on extension of stay due to marriage. Support myself with money I earned back home, topped up with the occasional brief trip back there when there's a lucrative freelance job to be had.

[neverdie]

I mean old chap,i was merely concerned,you know the old blood pressure,sweat pouring off as you pound the keys,blood sugar rising ect.

Zzzzzz

Honestly, I've obliterated you so many times, it's gotten boring

It might appear that way in your mind but reality is something entirely different.

Still spewing vile vile onto the forum. Anger management should be your next online course.

[Cypress Hill]

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I mean old chap,i was merely concerned,you know the old blood pressure,sweat pouring off as you pound the keys,blood sugar rising ect.

Zzzzzz

Honestly, I've obliterated you so many times, it's gotten boring

It might appear that way in your mind but reality is something entirely different.

Still spewing vile vile onto the forum. Anger management should be your next online course.

"Vile vile"??

Maybe remedial written English ought to be yours, Officer Dibble

Edited May 12, 2015 by Cypress Hill