If your under 50yo are you wasting time in Thailand?

[thaiduncankk]

I don't understand why people are so set on thailand. I wasted a few years here in my 20s. My time spent in thailand was in 3-9 month stints. I left quickly when my newborn took ill & wouldn't recover, no matter how much money I threw at the Dr's at the private hospitals.

I left on 2 days notice & my daughter was on the mend within 2 weeks of being in the UK.

I didn't return to Thailand for 6 years. When I did visit again the country had lost lots of its charm. I still enjoyed visiting quiet areas around the central/northern region.

In my experience chiang mai, pattaya, koh Chang had changed.

The areas were less friendly & people were more desperate.

I have a good life in the UK & am fortunate to live in a good area (voted 4th nicest in uk). My daughter was scouted early by a good school & sits the entrance exam soon. Things change. The country has changed & so have my priorities. I actually appreciate my own country more. I appreciate my police, my countries laws (before I felt it was a nanny state)

By all means save as much as you can but don't make thailand your be all & end all. Try to make life more enjoyable in your own country. There are genuine people were I come from, it's far safer & people are less desperate.

I used to love hua hin, it seemed ideal as a tourist spot. I used to believe that due to it being the King's town people behaved themselves more, almost proud to live there.

Only today I read about attacks on foreigners by local gangs. Things change, if you don't adapt your plans you can be stuck in an entirely different situation than what you imagined.

Best wishes whatever you do. I hope you find the success & lifestyle you are looking for.

You say your country is much safer.

Residents, and visitors, of Paris and Brussels probably thought exactly the same a few months back.

Europe is a massive target for terrorist fanatics, and most holiday resorts are no go areas now.

[SeniorNice]

I don't understand why people are so set on thailand. I wasted a few years here in my 20s. My time spent in thailand was in 3-9 month stints. I left quickly when my newborn took ill & wouldn't recover, no matter how much money I threw at the Dr's at the private hospitals.

I left on 2 days notice & my daughter was on the mend within 2 weeks of being in the UK.

I didn't return to Thailand for 6 years. When I did visit again the country had lost lots of its charm. I still enjoyed visiting quiet areas around the central/northern region.

In my experience chiang mai, pattaya, koh Chang had changed.

The areas were less friendly & people were more desperate.

I have a good life in the UK & am fortunate to live in a good area (voted 4th nicest in uk). My daughter was scouted early by a good school & sits the entrance exam soon. Things change. The country has changed & so have my priorities. I actually appreciate my own country more. I appreciate my police, my countries laws (before I felt it was a nanny state)

By all means save as much as you can but don't make thailand your be all & end all. Try to make life more enjoyable in your own country. There are genuine people were I come from, it's far safer & people are less desperate.

I used to love hua hin, it seemed ideal as a tourist spot. I used to believe that due to it being the King's town people behaved themselves more, almost proud to live there.

Only today I read about attacks on foreigners by local gangs. Things change, if you don't adapt your plans you can be stuck in an entirely different situation than what you imagined.

Best wishes whatever you do. I hope you find the success & lifestyle you are looking for.

Thailand is a place that exerts a strong emotional hold over people. Sometimes so strong that they frequent forums devoted to the place years after they claim to be done with it.

I

I'm not sure if you're making a general statement or being passive aggressive. I try to stay positive.

I visit thailand due to family living here & for my daughter to have a relationship with her family.

I wouldn't educate my child here nor would I want her growing up here. I certainly wouldn't feel happy & secure if she wished to visit here as a young adult. That's despite me visiting here in my youth.

The amount of foreigners I see that have children here & raise them thai style is a head scratcher. Riding around with kids on bikes is dangerous enough but plenty do it without a helmet. Are they that poor that they can't afford a helmet? Or is it a case of when in Rome?

[SeniorNice]

I don't understand why people are so set on thailand. I wasted a few years here in my 20s. My time spent in thailand was in 3-9 month stints. I left quickly when my newborn took ill & wouldn't recover, no matter how much money I threw at the Dr's at the private hospitals.

I left on 2 days notice & my daughter was on the mend within 2 weeks of being in the UK.

I didn't return to Thailand for 6 years. When I did visit again the country had lost lots of its charm. I still enjoyed visiting quiet areas around the central/northern region.

In my experience chiang mai, pattaya, koh Chang had changed.

The areas were less friendly & people were more desperate.

I have a good life in the UK & am fortunate to live in a good area (voted 4th nicest in uk). My daughter was scouted early by a good school & sits the entrance exam soon. Things change. The country has changed & so have my priorities. I actually appreciate my own country more. I appreciate my police, my countries laws (before I felt it was a nanny state)

By all means save as much as you can but don't make thailand your be all & end all. Try to make life more enjoyable in your own country. There are genuine people were I come from, it's far safer & people are less desperate.

I used to love hua hin, it seemed ideal as a tourist spot. I used to believe that due to it being the King's town people behaved themselves more, almost proud to live there.

Only today I read about attacks on foreigners by local gangs. Things change, if you don't adapt your plans you can be stuck in an entirely different situation than what you imagined.

Best wishes whatever you do. I hope you find the success & lifestyle you are looking for.

You say your country is much safer.

Residents, and visitors, of Paris and Brussels probably thought exactly the same a few months back.

Europe is a massive target for terrorist fanatics, and most holiday resorts are no go areas now.

I think with the influx of Arabs into the country thailand is a target for these extremists. The extremist would view many of these Arabs as bad Muslims. Then there's the rest of it that thailand is famed for. The south of thailand hasn't been safe for a long time

[lormakmak]

it really does take some knackers to pull away from the Pattaya/Thai scene... I did it and when I returned to the UK it took me a good year to get myself back into what I call a 'proper job' with prospects and a social side to it.... worst part of it all was moving back in with my parents (bless them)

I return to Thailand for holidays now once or twice a year, most of the people I know who stayed on out there feel trapped and the shine has worn off... I am at a stage now when people I work with ask me if i'd ever consider living back there... full time i'd say no, especially whilst I am employed here and doing ok, thinking about it I reckon December to March would be perfect then back here in the UK for the spring/summer with some trips to Europe would be ideal.

I had a great time living in Pattaya, moved there when I was 25 and had a good 10 years of it but 90 day reporting and all that goes with it when you have a work permit etc is ridiculous, the cost and paperwork after a quiet couple of months scratching about for business is not great and gets you down...

I am one of those people who said I would never go back to England as well... especially when I had the rose tinted glasses on in the first few years...

never say never eh

Edited April 15, 2016 by lormakmak

[BritManToo]

I return to Thailand for holidays now once or twice a year, most of the people I know who stayed on out there feel trapped and the shine has worn off... I am at a stage now when people I work with ask me if i'd ever consider living back there... full time i'd say no, especially whilst I am employed here and doing ok, thinking about it I reckon December to March would be perfect then back here in the UK for the spring/summer with some trips to Europe would be ideal.

Almost exactly what I do, in Thailand now, back to the UK next month, then on to France or Spain.

[Bantex]

Why waste your prime years at work, and put off enjoyment until you're half dead? Life is for living, not worrying about the future.

Are you serious?

I had part time jobs when I was 13 onwards, left school at 16 with a full time job lined up, worked hard, played hard, enjoyed life to the full but still saved for my future. I retired at 48 with a great pension and still enjoy life to the full. Now I don't work at all and have no financial worries.

You can have it all

[simon43]

That suggestion fails to address the 'small' problem of visas and work permits.

Indeed, because it should not be a problem. With absolute minimum of money, you have the choice of a volunteer visa or a religious visa (if you stay at a temple). Like me, you could work helping tourists as a police volunteer, because no WP is required (or so the police have decreed...).

My glass is always half-full

[SoiBiker]

A volunteer visa?

How does that work?

[rijit]

Are you being serious ?

You are going back to be................. a security guard !

I can see your career ambitions.

Did you have to go to any specific university to get the necessary qualifications ?

The reply Of imo a total <deleted>.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BKResort]

I didn't know that you can get a retirement extension here at 50 showing 65000 thb/month income..... and I waited until 62 in the US to do it.

That was a waste of time!

[Rimmer]

Multiple off topic posts about Australia, doing the ironing and Rolf Harris have been removed.

[anto]

I didn't know that you can get a retirement extension here at 50 showing 65000 thb/month income..... and I waited until 62 in the US to do it.

That was a waste of time!

Well maybe it was better for you .You should be well informed about every aspect though of moving to Thailand .You can find all the info you need on this web site if you pursue the visa section etc .

[anto]

>>but if you are exceeding 20,000 a month i guess you are spending on alcohol .<<..most people need a social life which is going to be very restricted on B20 k .Me ,i am old and have a Thai wife and daughter .We own our own house ,my wife has her own business ,so B20k will do for me .

[thaiduncankk]

Granted you are better off if you own your own Condo /house but if you are exceeding 20,000 a month i guess you are spending on alcohol .

rubbish like this is an indication how much you might be spending on cheap toxic alcohol

Can you please explain 'cheap toxic alcohol' Mr Big Licks ?

And what do you drink on your teacher's salary ?

[BookMan]

I'm still under 50 and i consider every day i get to spend here a plus

[fireplay]

I guess I should chime in on this.

The more I read posts on this site the more I realize my experience is nothing special.

I am 41...and moved to Thailand when I was 34...6.5 years ago.

I will put forth that my experiences and trajectory living here is nothing new or special...pretty much the same as a lot of other peeps in my age range can testify to.

Having said that...currently...at the moment...I too am dissatisfied with living in LOS.

I gotta work.

I'm not retired nor do I have savings.

Working in Thailand ( as a teacher. Restaurant manager. Production Assistant/ video editor. Marketing Account Executive. Content writer... has been cool but a total departure from my career trajectory back home.

Currently my saving grace is working online...and this affords me the opportunity to travel back home in the states extensively.

What I have seen is that my friends are super accomplished and making way more money than me...t.v. producers...entrepreneurs...tech execs...fx supervisors...doctors lawyers nurses....meanwhile I have been dicking around in Thailand making <deleted> all... albeit dangling with young hot thai girls in a tropical relaxed environment...

I don'T necessarily regret the time I have spent in Thailand, and to be honest I am on my way back( to thai up loose ends) but thankfully I can still roll back to my homeland and carve out a decent life while I am still able...

But the time is now...Or maybe portugal..or tokyo...or SG...or maybe more time in Nam or burma...but until then

Vive la thailand!

And thank you for everything

Edited April 15, 2016 by fireplay

[sandgroper2]

Really ?

A "middle aged" person who had been out of the job market for " a few years" goes home and lands a "high paying job" ?

Do tell us which job pays this amount of money ?

I do believe you have been told. Why so negative. If i middle aged person hasnt got the skills by then to get a ;high paid job, i would consider that a failure.

[BritManToo]

Most normal men struggle to live wherever they are (luckily I'm not one of those).

I'd rather struggle where it's warm and the women are slim and easy, as opposed to a place where it's cold and wet and the women are 'large size' and entitled to everything you own.

Edited April 16, 2016 by BritManToo

[Tomtomtom69]

Those under the age of 50, or anyone else for that matter are wasting their time only if they are squandering better opportunities in their home country.

IF those opportunities provide for better financial security and a better future then it may be fair to suggest that someone is wasting their time living in Thailand. However, every one of us are in differing situations. For some the opportunities of Asia outweigh opportunity in our home countries.

There is also the 'Work to live, live to work' balance that many who have moved here are trying to achieve - Life for many can be more enjoyable here and many will agree that 'money isn't everything', but, if someone is living here at significant cost to their future financial security it is fair to suggest they are wasting their time and also being somewhat irresponsible.

I would think that many individuals are in Thailand because they see little to no future back in their home countries.

In the case of Australia, it's not so attractive anymore when year after year, more and more companies are shutting down operations because it's too expensive and getting back into a shrinking workforce, because there's no new jobs makes it more difficult to find a job than ever before.

That makes Thailand an even more attractive proposition for these people, even though realistically, a foreigner is not going to have an easy time finding a job compared to a Thai. Having said that, there are people for whom the relatively low cost of living, a good idea etc. can lead to starting a business here that ends up being successful, whereas there's just no market or it's too expensive to even get started on doing something similar back home.

Then there are those who are here to continue working in their field, because opportunities back home have dried up. As many of us know, Australia's car industry is about to go belly up, but there will be some who will come to Thailand as managers, highly skilled engineers and technicians to start-up or continue the operations that will have folded back home. Many of these individuals could already foresee this and have been here for a number of years.

Each individual case is different and the individual's home country situation, including economy and unemployment rate also plays a part.

It's therefore pretty ridiculous (as per the OP) to suggest that every foreigner would be better off working back home than in Thailand. That is simply not true in all cases. Yes, if you could find a better opportunity back home (and you know it) but would rather have the lifestyle that Thailand offers maybe you haven't made the best decision.

On the other hand, if you are determined, hard working, young and have expended all your efforts trying to get somewhere back home, then trying to make it in Thailand vs. being a fry cook back home and I think I know which option we'd all rather choose.

[BritManToo]

In the case of Australia, it's not so attractive anymore when year after year, more and more companies are shutting down operations because it's too expensive and getting back into a shrinking workforce, because there's no new jobs makes it more difficult to find a job than ever before.

Not sure any foreigner has much chance of starting a successful business in Thailand though.

1 in 10,000 ..... 1 in 100,000 ...... can't say I've seen any at all, not legal anyway.

Seen a few where the foreigner hides out back working illegally that seem to make money.

(1 massage, 1 bakery, 1 restaurant) but all in a Thai lady name. So not really his business.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Rimmer
off topic removed

[bmanly]

My opinion is that unless you are smart enough to make a good living in Thailand with a legalized and legitimate business then you probably are wasting your time being there trying to make buck. Of course this won't affect you if you have plenty of money in the bank.

I would go back too, get a job and save the $$$$. Being a shift working security guard you will be entitled to 5 weeks annual leave on full pay plus 17.5% loading. To the other posters, in Australia he can make that sort of money working weekends, nights and rotating shift rosters. Sundays for example pay double time, nights pay a loading and Public Holidays pay double time and half. So yes it is possible to make that.

My advice would also be to go home, save the $$$$$$ and spend 5 to 6 weeks back in Thailand on holidays every year. Then after a few years of hard saving give it all away and retire without any financial problems, good luck.

[Gary A]

I do know one guy here who was such an embarrassment to his wealthy family that they set up a generous trust fund for him as long as he stays here in Thailand. Then there are others who inherited a large amount of money. They enjoy lording it over those of us who have had to make our own way through life. Those people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths have missed some of the more interesting parts of life. Most of us have worked hard and don't feel like life owes us a living. I pity those who run through their inherited money and find they are near destitute.

[anto]

>>I do know one guy here who was such an embarrassment to his wealthy family that they set up a generous trust fund for him as long as he stays here in Thailand.<<...Glitterman ? heard that he left Thailand several years ago now .

[SeniorNice]

I do know one guy here who was such an embarrassment to his wealthy family that they set up a generous trust fund for him as long as he stays here in Thailand. Then there are others who inherited a large amount of money. They enjoy lording it over those of us who have had to make our own way through life. Those people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths have missed some of the more interesting parts of life. Most of us have worked hard and don't feel like life owes us a living. I pity those who run through their inherited money and find they are near destitute.

I knew a guy a good few years back that was in his late 30s. His success in the UK had been funded by his dad. He sold up & came to Thailand. Once his money dried up he forced his dad to hand over his inheritance whilst he was still alive. When that cash dried up he'd already had his eyes on more of his dad's money. I think the dad had to cash something else in & it left the dad with a lot less to live on. The guy had other brothers & sisters & is still in town. He must be struggling by now. If only he'd paid more attention to his own life & finances rather than constantly looking in his dad's wallet. You get some silly people here, but for me that was taking the biscuit. Edited April 16, 2016 by SeniorNice

[wow64]

If you can earn good coin here its not a waste of time and some of the things we work on is cutting edge tech that we just could not play with back home.. Too much red tape.

I am saving a hell of a lot more here then back home.

I guess it depends on the industry you work on.. Thai visa isnt a place I would look for people to work for me...

Sent from my c64

Edited April 16, 2016 by wow64

[Rimmer]

Off topic nonsense about port wine and electricity bills have been removed also all the replies leading into a fight.

You might like to stop this trolling now.

[fey]

would agree that any gaps over a year makes it extremely difficult to get back into the work force

you cant put 'lived in pattaya' on a resume

under 50 does not mean broke these days. the old fashioned retire at 65 and 9-5 job is becoming a thing of the past.

[Rimmer]

A flame has been removed

[MyTHaiMyKe]

I thought you had to be at least 50 years of age to live here? What happened to that rule?

[johnatong]

I thought you had to be at least 50 years of age to live here? What happened to that rule?

You are 'confused'.

At the age of 50 it is possible to remain in Thailand on the basis of retirement but it is also possible to stay if one is married to a Thai or working(legally) at a younger age.