Cost of living in Thailand

[NeverSure]

11 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

They need to be run every few weeks or so, otherwise the parts go to hell.  We turn them on just for 10 minutes every few weeks if not in use.

 

Someone told me the seals dry out and they leak out all of the coolant. Don't know if that's true but I run mine at least every week.

[chinkasuyarou]

11 hours ago, Naam said:

no doubt that Singapore beats BKK in nearly all categories. but SIN has a huge disadvantage, namely you have to have $$$millions$$$ galore if you want to live in a detached house with a garden and a pool.

 

But you actually own it in Singapore. Using a nominee is explicitly illegal in Thailand. Hence the price.

Edited December 2, 2016 by chinkasuyarou

[NeverSure]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

Neversure, do you travel to Thailand for vacations or just come on here to see us crazy ones talking about and living in Thailand. 

 

I lived in Chiang Mai in the Riverside Apartments for a year a few years ago. I've vacationed in Thailand numerous times. After being there for a year I was happy that I hadn't sold my home in the US and moved back for good.

 

I have friends in Thailand and still like to vacation there but my health isn't the greatest any more and it's a long trip. BTW my last couple of trips I stopped in Hawaii for a couple of days which really broke the long trip up nicely and helped a bit with the jet lag.

 

Cheers.

[Elkski]

hey apples are getting expensive.  3-8$ kg... this one new variety honey crisp are about 3.50$/ # so about 50 baht each... but so fresh, juicy and crisp. 

[chiang mai]

3 hours ago, NeverSure said:

 

Someone told me the seals dry out and they leak out all of the coolant. Don't know if that's true but I run mine at least every week.

 

This is certainly true of cars but am less sure about home aircon. units.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, chiang mai said:

 

This is certainly true of cars but am less sure about home aircon. units.

That's what every AC guy we've had here has said.  DO NOT let them sit idle.  Run them every week for 10 minutes.  Which we now do and don't have as many problems as we did a few years ago.  Another nice aspect of the AC is it reduces the humidity.  When the humidity reaches 85% outside during a rain, say, we turn it on and it sure is nice! LOL

[chiang mai]

1 minute ago, craigt3365 said:

That's what every AC guy we've had here has said.  DO NOT let them sit idle.  Run them every week for 10 minutes.  Which we now do and don't have as many problems as we did a few years ago.  Another nice aspect of the AC is it reduces the humidity.  When the humidity reaches 85% outside during a rain, say, we turn it on and it sure is nice! LOL

 

Sorry Craig I wasn't doubting you, it's just that I'd never heard that before albeit I know it's true with cars, it would make sense the two are similar.

[Naam]

4 hours ago, NeverSure said:

 

Someone told me the seals dry out and they leak out all of the coolant. Don't know if that's true but I run mine at least every week.

seals are only used in automotive airconditiong. the reason why units should be used is that the system contains a certain amount of lubricant which undergoes a molecular deterioration if not used actively. one can compare it with a car engine that was not started for a long time, pistons and cylinders are "dry" of oil. when started and bringing it immediately to high RPMs it's in many cases "over and out".

[Naam]

6 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

Sorry Craig I wasn't doubting you, it's just that I'd never heard that before albeit I know it's true with cars, it would make sense the two are similar.

we have a winner!

[Naam]

4 hours ago, chinkasuyarou said:

But you actually own it in Singapore. Using a nominee is explicitly illegal in Thailand. Hence the price.

for 5 million US-Dollars you own a shack in Singapore built 40 years ago and sitting on 400m² of land. the land is worth 4.9mm and the shack 100k.

Edited December 3, 2016 by Naam

[jpinx]

15 minutes ago, Naam said:

we have a winner!

For the price of installation and electricity - you could employ a nice young girl as punka-wallah :)   and she'll bring your beer to you as well :)

[craigt3365]

Just now, jpinx said:

For the price of installation and electricity - you could employ a nice young girl as punka-wallah :)   and she'll bring your beer to you as well :)

Not sure his wife nor mine would appreciate that!

[jpinx]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

Not sure his wife nor mine would appreciate that!

Wifey can have her own boy punka-wallah  -- some people have been quoting electricity bills that would feed a family !!!  :)

[Naam]

1 hour ago, jpinx said:

For the price of installation and electricity - you could employ a nice young girl as punka-wallah :)   and she'll bring your beer to you as well :)

a young girl would be a punka-wallih

[Naam]

1 hour ago, jpinx said:

some people have been quoting electricity bills that would feed a family !!!  :)

leccy is spensif too mutt!

[NeverSure]

18 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

That's what every AC guy we've had here has said.  DO NOT let them sit idle.  Run them every week for 10 minutes.  Which we now do and don't have as many problems as we did a few years ago.  Another nice aspect of the AC is it reduces the humidity.  When the humidity reaches 85% outside during a rain, say, we turn it on and it sure is nice! LOL

 

I often run my AC just to remove the humidity from the house even if it isn't hot outside. Even when it's cool outside if it's humid, the furnace warms up the humid air and it bugs me. I of course have "whole house" "centralized" heating and air conditioning which is ducted to all of the rooms at once. Just lowering the temperature with the AC a couple of degrees is enough to condense all of the humidity in the air and drain it outside as water.

[Elkski]

17 hours ago, Naam said:

leccy is spensif too mutt!

sad thing is am starting to understand this 

[JAFO]

6 hours ago, Elkski said:

sad thing is am starting to understand this 

 

Welcome. It only gets better. You know you are in deep when you understand "Yu tink to mut" and when you buy something you like that she doesn't understand and you get the look followed with "Pang mak". Famous dating terms are usually" it's up to you" . It changes after marriage however to "You need to listen to me"  Hahahahaha.  

 

[JAFO]

One thing that is not talked about much is the "Extra" costs. You know the ones, the ones not part of the monthly living plan but happen. Very hard to say no when they crop up as you almost feel like you are cheating yourself of a pleasure.  

 

Yesterday wife and I spent an outstanding day in Chiang Mai.  We decided that our walls needed some color. I like CM as its about 50 minutes away and is a nice mountain drive. I absolutely wouldn't want to live there as the traffic virtually everywhere was just terrible but fun place to hang out for a day. Needless to say we got to our Art Deco location and walked along and bought up some wall art.  Now this wasn't part of a budget, it just happened.  I coughed up about 18,000 bht for 7 pictures, 2 hand carved wood vases and dried flower crap (ooops  i mean stuff). Delivery is included as one store owner said she would deliver anything we bought in the area as she was coming this way to deliver the oil paintings anyway. This gal was so friendly and extremely nice. Her fee is 500 baht. We will likely give her a bit more as I think thats to low.  

 

3 things from this, in the US you would be hard pressed to find nice artwork and decorations for $500 usd.  I know good large pictures will set you back $350 for one.  Secondly the polite people and the 500 baht delivery.  Where I am from they don't deliver.  You find your own means but if you do require delivery, plan on dropping a C note at a minimum.  Thirdly this is one of those unexpected costs you don't plan on.  

 

This is why I say take your planned budget and add 25%. Things will happen, plans will change as will your interests.

[bwpage3]

On 11/27/2016 at 11:00 AM, Naam said:

he does not have to own the land to enjoy living on it. nobody owns anything forever. not in Thailand and not in Farangland. ownership stops when on the way to the graveyard or crematorium. the last shirt has no pockets. period!

Really?

Ownership start on the way to the graveyard? Did you just figure that out?

At least in Farangland you own the land, not just borrow it.

[jpinx]

5 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Really?

Ownership start on the way to the graveyard? Did you just figure that out?

At least in Farangland you own the land, not just borrow it.

You can own your shroud, coffin, grave-plot and headstone for all of time, but everything else will very quickly become someone-else's To reduce costs, get cremated as the plot size for an urn of ashes is really much smaller.  :D

[bwpage3]

On 11/27/2016 at 7:09 PM, Pilot3Boz said:

I looked a buying a home in a decent but low cost area of Florida and The house I wound up buying in Hua Hin area... Both were on golf courses, both in good year round warm climates... Both houses were in gated communities and comparable in price, USD.... I did a comparison on "Fixed Costs"... electric, pool boy, gardener, insurances (home, car, motorcycle and Health for both wife and I), phones, internet, common fees, water, property taxes, golf annual membership dues... so that leaves, Food, fuel, clothing, eating out.... The numbers were amazingly different, with Florida being -$35KUSD annually with taxes going up every year ... Hua Hin is amazingly cheaper at ~$12.5K annually no property taxes... Health insurance cost will continue to rise with age and cost increase, but USA would go up at a faster rate until Medicare kids in... With being 52 when I made the decision, the health insurance savings will still break even after Medicare figured into the equation... So I definitely made the right choice for my Thai wife and I... I do use Makro for most of my western food needs, and eat some local foods at lower cost restaurants, along with mall food places too... Fuel prices are higher in Thailand, electric a little higher in Thailand, water has been higher also up to now, but Petchaburi will be supplying our water in the near future at about 1/3 of current cost so that will equalize that... We don't skimp but are aware of our spending... IMHO I think Thailand is a great affordable place to retire and with a decent savings and/or pention you can have a very good quality of life... 

You forgot to mention comparing the third world to the civilized world.

Did you miss the international news story of the old grandmum and her husband getting their heads bashed in, in Hua Hin?

 

 

 

[transam]

7 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Really?

Ownership start on the way to the graveyard? Did you just figure that out?

At least in Farangland you own the land, not just borrow it.

Only freehold properties...Lease hold and apartments you don't..

[Naam]

34 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Really?

Ownership start on the way to the graveyard? Did you just figure that out?

At least in Farangland you own the land, not just borrow it.

do you need reading glasses? here's what i said

Quote

ownership stops when on the way to the graveyard

 

[MahasarakhamMitch]

Come to the uk and you'll see the difference

[Saastrajaa]

On 12/2/2016 at 0:13 AM, EvenSteven said:

 

Indeed.  As I was saying, you get what you pay for.  Labour is noticeably cheaper in Thailand, but would you contract-out the building of a new house in the US to a Thai construction company?  Or even bring over a Thai electrician, plumber, or carpenter to work on your house in the US?

 

Yeah, and if you used a Thai electrician, you'd have to explain how "farang electricity" is different from "Thai electricity"...ours needs to be grounded!