Hawkster

I have been coming to Pattaya for about 10 years, sometimes 1, 2 or even 3 times in a year. I retired last August and have been traveling in US and finishing up some financial matters (taxes, getting documents to get reimbursement from 2014 flexible spending account, setting claim with insurance company after being rear ended, etc., deciding whether to take pension or lump from my old job, get my savings properly diversified so I have income in retirement) before booking a 2 or 3 month trip to Pattaya. Hopefully, I can book a flight in the next month or two. Being retired is great with very little stress or sense of urgency. I have not been in Pattaya since November of 2013 and really looking forward to the extended visit before deciding whether to move to Pattaya permanently. I live in Northern California and the weather is borderline perfect here. We actually got a good rain last night although we are still in a severe drought. It is beautiful here - I live near Pleasanton, CA (San Francisco Bay area) where Martin used to live. However, there is no comparison of available pretty women and night life between here and Pattaya. Today I am working around the house, will take a 3 mile walk up my local watering hole, watch Golden State Warriors basketball playoff game, and take a taxi home. I believe I will cook up some ground turkey and make a salad for lunch before heading out. Another beautiful sunshine day here with temperatures in 70's F. Again, I need to get a little more of a sense of urgency to get everything in order before making an extended vacation to Pattaya. Life is very good - or as good as it gets without the lovely ladies of Pattaya. That shortcoming will soon be resolved.

Gerry, I received your PM - very good information. Thanks, Hawkster

I am currently on holiday here in Pattaya until Saturday. I have always considering retiring here - possibly in the near future. I would to happy to buy some beers and hear about some the ExPats folks' experience regarding retiring to Pattaya over a beer or other libations. I would like to discuss how do you stay busy, cost of living, health insurance and how you made the decision to finally pull the plug and make the move to the LOS, etc. If anyone would be good enough to give me their insight, I would be happy to buy some drinks. Please private message me if you would good enough to join me for drinks or else provide a response to this post on your general thoughts on staying busy, budgeting, health care and making the decision to move. Thanks, Hawkster

I am currently on holiday here in Pattaya until Saturday. I have always considering retiring here - possibly in the near future. I would to happy to buy some beers and hear about some the ExPats folks' experience regarding retiring to Pattaya over a beer or other libations. I would like to discuss how do you stay busy, cost of living, health insurance and how you made the decision to finally pull the plug and make the move to the LOS, etc. If anyone would be good enough to give me their insight, I would be happy to buy some drinks. Please private message me if you would good enough to join me for drinks or else provide a response to this post on your general thoughts on staying busy, budgeting, health care and making the decision to move. Thanks, Hawkster

Owen, The tax consequences are something I am also concerned with, with respect to how much investment income I can shelter. I am glad to see that a large portion of yearly income could be potentially sheltered, assuming you have relatively low levels of withdrawals from the investments in a year. This means a reasonably conservative spending lifestyle in LOS. Being from the States, I have certain concerns that a combination of political conditions (Democrats coming into power and taking money from those who have saved) and many people retiring so that the government must find ways to finance retirement for the general populace and will result in high taxes on any retirement income investments may generate over the next 30 years. I see sensational, scary articles about how the future will change will the upcoming baby boom generation retiring - that generation must be taken care of and the people having the money to support that generation will ultimately have to pay somehow. Little Social Security, little Medicaid will be available for our retirement or else retirement funds will be handed out on need only basis - like College financial aid. Accordingly, I am never sure you can have too much savings for retirement/moving to Thailand. A bigger concern, though, is waiting in the U.S. while accumulating more money and depleting the time I have available on this earth. I have an O.K. time in the U.S. but have a fantastic time whenever visiting Thailand. Early retirement would allow to do the things I would love to do, possible teach (English, engineering, law), read novels, newspapers, the articles on the internet, golf, talk with fellow BM's and watch sports on TV/Internet. Also, I would love to sitesee and just relax every day as opposed to the daily grind of my current job, which has me locked up with golden handcuffs - pay and benefits. My theory on life is that he/she who dies with the most "fun points" wins. While I am rapidly accumulating money as I age, I am not generating "fun points" very well. I guess "fun points" would equate to quality of life points. I am looking to move to LOS as a way a rapidly increasing my quality of life points as far as doing things I enjoy are concerned while forfeiting accumulating more money. Moving to LOS is a matter of weighing financial security versus quality of life. I can either work on increasing my quality of life here, and accumulate more money, or else, pull the trigger and move to LOS and try to live a lot less excessive lifestyle than I do now. Of course, the option of returning to the U.S. and working again is always available. I am now 48 years old, not old, not young. However, I experience what I consider now as the "troll syndrome". While in America I may be considered an old troll to very attractive young women, when I make that magical transformation via a plane ride to LOS, I feel I am no longer an old troll. Women in Thailand do not seem to be so concerned about age, but rather just want someone who can take care of them/family. (I am sure looking like Brad Pitt would not hurt). Hanging out with women 20 years younger than myself seems natural in Thailand while here it seems to be considered as very age inappropriate - you would be dating the daughter (20-30) of someone who popular society says you really should be dating here, a 40-50 divorcee - you would be a dirty old man here. I am highly educated having spent far too much time in college. However, I find I enjoy much more spending time with relatively uneducated young Thai women (20-35) than I do with the highly educated battleaxes here in the U.S. of my own age 40-50 - the typical women your friends would set you up with on a blind date. Blind dates are always such a disappointing, terrifying experience. While I love good conversations about world events, finances, politics, and culture, I would rather spend time time with a young Thai women who is not as educated or worldly but is simple and sweet - other than taking care of family, not many other things seem to be that important, including the age of the falang. The old battleaxes here gripe about everything. So much for my ramblings. I guess many of us will just have to decide when we have enough financial security to justify pulling the plug and doing what we thing we really would rather do. Getting back to your topic, the tax implications do make an important impact on those decisions. Good luck to everyone who makes the big move to LOS. As Owen professes, make sure you have done your financial homework so that will have great life in LOS.

The real issue is quality of life. Right now I have a very good job with very good compensation and can save quite a bit each year. However, I am working 6-7 days a week and long hours to get the job done. I go home, think about work some more, and then go back to work. I plan to work all of this weekend to keep my head above water. As I make good money, I do not want to pull the string too soon and quit. However, quality of life is not that great right now. That being said, I really, really enjoy my trips to Pattaya where I do not think about work and can truly relax. In retirement, I would like to read a lot of the classics of literature and read interesting articles on the internet, Wall Street Journal, USAtoday, sports articles, downloaded books, etc. Also, I would like to golf, go to the gym daily, and generally go sightseeing on a non-extravagant scale. In Pattaya, it is nice to know you do not have to deal with the typical woman's attitude in the U.S. and spend most nights alone. Its nice to be treated well even if its a business arrangement = pay to play. I talked to a realtor a couple of days ago who told me his father had died of Cancer at 51. Accidents happen at any time. Most of my life has been either going to college (many years) or working long hours at a profession. I want to make sure I am young enough to enjoy my retirement - I pity those who work to 65-70 before being able to retire comfortbly. Anyway, I appreciate everyone's insight into what the practical realities of retirement are. Like most things, you do your research and make your best prognosis as to the future, i.e., money supply. Then make a decison and never look back. I believe I can live on a reasonably budget without lots of unnecessary excesses. Can't wait for my next trip to LOS and Pattaya. I hope I can get further insights/views/thoughts on the practicalities of retirement in LOS. It sounds like $3000/month for usual expenses and for trips home and VietNam, Singapore, etc. and buying occasionally electronics is a reasonable benchmark.

A lot of people have discussed retiring to Thailand. How much money would you need to comfortably retire at ages a) 45, 50, and c) 55 with a) $500,000, 750,000 or c) $1,000,000 sitting in the bank? I am sure different people have different needs and expectations. What is your comfort level with getting 3, 5, 7, 9 or greater 10% return a year on your investments? How you would you diversify and invest the money to get that expected return? For those living in LOS now, how much do typically spend over the course of year including housing, health insurance, plane tickets to home, etc? What are your top five expenses for the year? 1) housing; 2) food; 3) insurance; 4) plane tickets; 5) women? 6) alcohol; 7)taxes; 8) other? Please provide a lower and upper range of expenses. I have entertained retiring early. I would like some prudent advice on how soon to retire. I will be 50 in a couple years and want to retire while still relatively young. I know it has been discussed in other threads before but I would like to revisit the issue and get other peoples views on what they think is a conservative financial retirement plan for Thailand. I would prefer not to have work. I look forward reviewing the inciteful opinions from board members, both who may want to retire someday to Thailand and those who already have.

Can anyone recommend a Pattaya hotel with good in-room high speed internet connection? I need to work while on vacation. Hopefully, the hotel would be nice but not overly expensive. I will be in Pattaya March 17-26. Looking forward to a great trip.