Expats living on their pension in Thailand, why the negativity?

[stoneyboy]

I take my hat of to pensioners the world over who decide to relocate to sunnier climbs irrespective of how much money they have,anyone who has spent in my case 30 years grafting in the UK watching its continued demise freezing your nuts off for half a year has the right idea by upping sticks and leaving.

Fortunately I have been in rotational work for some time so can choose to live pretty much where I like except for the hassles of traveling.

Good luck to one and all I say.

[DogNo1]

I quite like goat cheese and sheep cheese too. They are not cheap in Bangkok though. My pensions and investments provide me with a five-star life but only in Bangkok. I am quite comfortable spending six months each year at GCP Ratchadamri. The person who really made out was my father who drew military retirement, a Florida State pension and full social security. He was a triple-dipper who actually made more in retirement than when he was working. My earnings in retirement are about equal to when I was working. My children and grandchildren won't do so well though so I plan to pass my estate on to them. I'm living on pensions, dividends and interest and still manage to save 50% some months. So I'm retired and happily eating my goat cheese while living in a prime five-star location.

[bangkokjulia]

Try camel cheese as a cheaper alternative

[mikebell]

Is the OP talking about government pension or private pensions, big difference.How can anyone live on 106 gbp per week is beyond me, whether uk or Thailand.I had lump sums and a monthly amount on my different pensions, and income from investments too, but to live on government pension alone is very hard.

Well said, Bernard. My UK State pension has been frozen @ 93 UKP per week for the last 8 years thanks to the UK age discrimination policy. It is only my private pension (Index linked) that allows me to live in comparative luxury here in Thailand.

[umbanda]

Negativity? Only from people living in $10,000/month minimum budget in their countries, thinking that can do the same with $1000 in Thailand.

[jpb1963]

To answer the question simply....its a case that the are many miserable indivduals who would be whinging and complaining where ever they are and are not happy unless they are whinging

Then there are those spouting negativity and dont even live in Thailand anymore for "various reasons" and feel obligated to slag the place every chance they get

its a bit like the worker at a company - been there 5,10,15 years whatever and runs the company/management down constantly, I am like dude shut up already or go work somewhere else geez it aint that hard

fact is they are insipid lazy pathetic individuals that derive personal gratification from being completely miserable for the duration of their sorry lives

so going by someone else's comment on here anyone with a post count above what number exactly should be regarded as negative and whatever they have to offer by way of comment should be automatically discounted as being negative and of no benefit

interesting concept, wonder what some of the long term participants actually think about that

[MaeJoMTB]

For every pensioner quietly going about his business, not demanding preferential treatment, enjoying his life on a nice, comfortable pension he paid into over a lifetime of hard graft, there's 20 more hanging on by the skin of their teeth financially - subsisting on food hall noodles and a happy hour Leo.

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

Edited October 12, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[i claudius]

For every pensioner quietly going about his business, not demanding preferential treatment, enjoying his life on a nice, comfortable pension he paid into over a lifetime of hard graft, there's 20 more hanging on by the skin of their teeth financially - subsisting on food hall noodles and a happy hour Leo.

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

2015-10-12 09.34.22.jpg

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

How can you live like that ,its disgusting , the Tom Yam shrimp one is far far better .

[Naam]

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

tea bags only twice? it must be nice to have money in abundance living in the fast lane of life

[Naam]

For every pensioner quietly going about his business, not demanding preferential treatment, enjoying his life on a nice, comfortable pension he paid into over a lifetime of hard graft, there's 20 more hanging on by the skin of their teeth financially - subsisting on food hall noodles and a happy hour Leo.

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

How can you live like that ,its disgusting , the Tom Yam shrimp one is far far better .

perhaps that's 50 Satang more expensive?

[Gordy Gambino]

I control my own retirement money and would love to live in Patts.

According to my secretary I am the sleeziest person she has ever met and she thinks within 6 months of retirement I would have rooted myself to death.

Beats copping a cap in the ass from her husband...555. j/k she is farang so off limits.

[MaeJoMTB]

For every pensioner quietly going about his business, not demanding preferential treatment, enjoying his life on a nice, comfortable pension he paid into over a lifetime of hard graft, there's 20 more hanging on by the skin of their teeth financially - subsisting on food hall noodles and a happy hour Leo.

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

How can you live like that ,its disgusting , the Tom Yam shrimp one is far far better .

perhaps that's 50 Satang more expensive?

No, the Tom Yam is only 11bht, I splash out on the expensive Chicken Curry @ 13bht.

Edited October 12, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[billd766]

Simple answer jealousy,some of us have the funds.Some of the wannabees (younger folks who know it all and <deleted> up) and can't go back.The older and the wiser had a Plan B,with financial backing to bale out.You will find the great defenders of this country have a financial commitment (which they won't admit').Read enough posts and you will soon work out who they are.I would recommend if you want to get an honest answer from a poster then look at their post count.The higher the count the more bullshit you will get.Only an observation on my part,no research to back it up.

Well that is not strictly true.

I have 9,255 posts but that covers a 12 year period which is a little over 2 per day.

[pgrahmm]

Simple answer jealousy,some of us have the funds.Some of the wannabees (younger folks who know it all and <deleted> up) and can't go back.The older and the wiser had a Plan B,with financial backing to bale out.You will find the great defenders of this country have a financial commitment (which they won't admit').Read enough posts and you will soon work out who they are.I would recommend if you want to get an honest answer from a poster then look at their post count.The higher the count the more bullshit you will get.Only an observation on my part,no research to back it up.

Well that is not strictly true.

I have 9,255 posts but that covers a 12 year period which is a little over 2 per day.

And more than a few dabble in word association which is probably a large % of their "posts" count.....

[Naam]

I was just finishing my breakfast while reading this post, Green curry with Chicken MaMa pot noodles from 7-11, 13bht.

No need to waste money travelling to a food hall!

No Leo though, just a mug of tea ...... but I do use every tea bag twice (less than 1bht a mug).

How can you live like that ,its disgusting , the Tom Yam shrimp one is far far better .

perhaps that's 50 Satang more expensive?

No, the Tom Yam is only 11bht, I splash out on the expensive Chicken Curry @ 13bht.

[eaglesflight]

I think it's a part of the trend amongst younger Brits at least to be resentful of older generations and anyone having a pension is one of those things that is riled against. There is in fact some basis for that resentment in the UK since a series of changes by government have resulted in younger generations today having a poorer deal than many of their predecessors and older generations, mostly to the benefit of the older generations. Cases in point include: university fees, availability and cost of housing, state pension age, etc. I suppose it's not so much that it's a poorer deal, simply it's a different one that results from the austerity program and from prior poor fiscal management by governments past.

I don't think this is relevant at all. Anybody living here on a UK state pension certainly wouldn't make me jealous - I can't imagine trying to get by on that little. If there is any negativity toward older Westerners living in Thailand on pensions it could be a reaction to their holier-than-thou attitude toward anybody living in the country without a long-term visa.

[jpb1963]

Simple answer jealousy,some of us have the funds.Some of the wannabees (younger folks who know it all and <deleted> up) and can't go back.The older and the wiser had a Plan B,with financial backing to bale out.You will find the great defenders of this country have a financial commitment (which they won't admit').Read enough posts and you will soon work out who they are.I would recommend if you want to get an honest answer from a poster then look at their post count.The higher the count the more bullshit you will get.Only an observation on my part,no research to back it up.

Well that is not strictly true.

I have 9,255 posts but that covers a 12 year period which is a little over 2 per day.

And more than a few dabble in word association which is probably a large % of their "posts" count.....

that is so funny - I am guilty of bumping my count up in the last 48 hours by a whopping 8, which reminds me where is that link again...

[JohnC]

I am happy with my lifestyle here having planned well in advance for my pensions my only complaint is when others say to me "your lucky having a monthly income from pensions" NO I am not lucky it's called forward planning which a lot of the complainers seem to have missed, they come here with limited funds, spend most of their time in the bars, off the bar girls then when their income dries up they start whinging on how unfair Thailand is! Go home, get a job and save for your retirement, if your too old well sorry no ones fault but your own!

[Bernard Flint]

Is the OP talking about government pension or private pensions, big difference.How can anyone live on 106 gbp per week is beyond me, whether uk or Thailand.I had lump sums and a monthly amount on my different pensions, and income from investments too, but to live on government pension alone is very hard.

Well said, Bernard. My UK State pension has been frozen @ 93 UKP per week for the last 8 years thanks to the UK age discrimination policy. It is only my private pension (Index linked) that allows me to live in comparative luxury here in Thailand.

Shame that is, as the new state pension is about 155gbp per week, if i am correct. Will be drawing that in the next 2 years.At todays rate that will be just over 439,000 baht a year,about what i spend now, give a take 100,000 baht.

Should be able to save a million baht a year minimum now, omg, what am i going to do with that, i dont need for nothing. father ray????

[MaeJoMTB]

Shame that is, as the new state pension is about 155gbp per week, if i am correct.

You are not correct. That is the maximum entitlement of someone who has paid NI payments for 35 years without ever being 'contracted out'.

(everyone ever working for the government was contracted out, forces, police, nurses, dustmen, council staff, teachers, etc.)

So hardly anyone.

Edited October 12, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Cypress Hill]

If there is any negativity toward older Westerners living in Thailand on pensions it could be a reaction to their holier-than-thou attitude toward anybody living in the country without a long-term visa.

Yep.

"Guess-what-Thai-visa" has COMPLETELY overtaken "Connect 4 with a plump bargirl" in popularity among the sneering pensioners at beer bars in Pattaya and soi Nana

Because making it to 50 and hopping on a flight is SUCH a towering achievement

Edited October 12, 2015 by Cypress Hill

[Berkshire]

and i am just curious where you read these negative comments. i'm an active member of TV since nine years and can't recall a single one.

It has been negatively referenced on these ThaiVisa pages as a 'goat-cheese pension' as in " ... an old boy on a goat-cheese pension eating 30 baht meals at a food hall and nursing a happy hour shandy all night."

hmmm... obviously my eyes are trained to overlook idiotic remarks like these.

Well they show up frequently. Typically they surface further into a thread when things gets much more off tangent and personal. I saw a few the other day and thought I was pose the question. I was hoping the ones that post it would shed why they do and why its such a bad thing and why. I suspect they may not.

I think it's part of the generational conflict that pops up from time to time. And yes, I think jealousy or envy is part of it. For instance, some of these young guys who complain about the visa rules. Some of these guys seem to have a sense of entitlement and think that Thailand has no right to set its own immigration rules. They'll lash out at the older dudes who can, not only stay legally, but have the financial means. Of course, a good number of these old dudes are incessant whiners/whingers who aren't exactly on my list of good citizens.

[Jingthing]

I still think it's mostly about young not respecting the old, and frankly, I don't care. I never thought I'd make it to 30, seriously I didn't, so now it's all GRAVY.

[mogo51]

Jealousy.

Picked in one!!!

[mihalis]

Most who complain are bitter burnt expats......... Others, just bored....

[nithisa78]

mental problems, insecurity. your guess is as good as anyone's.

[MaeJoMTB]

mental problems, insecurity. your guess is as good as anyone's.

The people thinking everything is great over here are more likely the ones with mental problems.

And probably will be facing housing and financial problems in the future too.

[nithisa78]

mental problems, insecurity. your guess is as good as anyone's.

The people thinking everything is great over here are more likely the ones with mental problems.

And probably will be facing housing and financial problems in the future too.

life is what we make it.

[F4UCorsair]

If self funded pensions OK.

Not jealousy from me, with an income many times the aged pension, but a degree of disgust.

I worked 43 years, never drew a cent from the government, provided for myself, and am a self funded retiree. I live in Australia, mostly, so continue to pay GST, and other federal and state indirect taxes.

Somebody who paid a lot less tax than I did, and continue to do, receives an aged pension, and then leaves the country, contributing nothing further. I think if a recipient is not living in the country that pays his state funded pension, it should be reduced by what tax that pension may attract if the recipient was living in his home country...... start at about 25%, but possibly more.

Paying income tax is not the same as paying into a private superannuation fund.

Edited October 12, 2015 by F4UCorsair

[seancbk]

@robertthebruce I already live in Thailand and my wife and I built a home in the northern region. I am not near a pension age so we are living off other investments. I was just curious why I had read many negative responses about "pensioners" in Thailand. But I am with you, I think if anyone can pull it off they should go live it and it shouldn't be viewed in a negative light.

and i am just curious where you read these negative comments. i'm an active member of TV since nine years and can't recall a single one.

I was going to ask the same question.

I'm not particularly a fan of grumpy old men from the UK, or in fact any working class people from the UK for that matter but that has nothing to do with what they live on.